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What Happens Next

April 13, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

13 Apr

Title: What Happens Next
Author: Christina Suzann Nelson
Major Themes: Mysteries, Dual-Timeline, Small-Town
Synopsis: When asked to investigate the mysterious disappearance of her childhood best friend, Faith Byrne is forced to face her own past as she tries to find answers to another family’s pain.

I was talking to a friend recently, sharing how I used to enjoy reading mysteries, but fell out of the habit years ago, and haven’t quite found my way back yet. “Why don’t you try What Happens Next?” she suggested, so I did—and I’m so glad I took her recommendation! This ended up being a fascinating read!

Publisher’s description:

“Everyone has a story, and maybe everyone needs a little help toward healing.”

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy—but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. All of that changes when she’s asked to spotlight her childhood best friend’s missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter’s belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the long-abandoned investigation moves forward, old wounds and long-buried secrets are exposed. Will these two women, whose lives have never been the same, finally get the answers they need to reconcile the past and the future?

My thoughts:

I connected with Faith almost right away. She’s the kind of character you can empathize with immediately, especially with everything going on in her life at the beginning of the book. Then, when she’s asked to research what happened with her childhood best friend, things get a little complicated…I loved how that research stretched both her professional and personal life! I also loved how her research led her to meet Dora, and the way both women were so similar, yet so different, and how they were both able to grow together through the story.

The mystery side of the story was excellent. I’m not one to puzzle out a mystery, but I definitely had my suspects from fairly early on, although I was kept guessing until the big reveal. The tension was definitely kept up through the dual-timeline nature of the story; I loved the descriptions of that one idyllic summer, and the joy and freedom the children experienced just to be children then. That part was great.

The only thing that I wasn’t so excited about is the fact that Faith is divorced at the beginning of the story, and partway through, meets someone whom she will likely marry sometime after the book ends. It’s not a major part of the story, but it is there.

I’m not sure I could pinpoint one particular favorite part of What Happens Next. I do know that even a month or more after finishing the book, I felt like I was still trying to process the story. I enjoyed all three points of view and couldn’t wait to come back to each one. Every single person felt real to me. I enjoyed the faith journey in the story, especially as it related to learning to work through grief (there’s a lot of internal work/conflict that happens in the book, which I loved). I also loved the small-town feel to the story, Faith’s love for her children, and her podcast (which I wish I could listen to). If you enjoy mysteries, I’d highly recommend you check this one out.

WARNING: Chapter 7: Oh my goodness. Chapter 22: For goodness’s sakes. Chapter 23: Oh my goodness. Chapter 27: Lying. Chapter 32: Blasted. Chapter 37: Lying. Chapter 39: Man holds a woman’s hand. Chapter 57: Oh goodness. Chapter 62: Unmarried kiss.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Midnight in Chernobyl

April 10, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

10 Apr

Title: Midnight in Chernobyl
Author: Adam Higginbotham
Major Themes: Disasters, Ukraine, Soviet Union
Synopsis: A gripping recounting of the nuclear explosion at Chernobyl and the people affected by the disaster.

I’ve had a fascination with the story of Chernobyl for a year or two now, enough that one of my brothers has fun teasing me about it whenever I come up with another book, or documentary, or even just a fact about it. In my efforts to learn more about the story, I picked up Midnight in Chernobyl, expecting it would be a gritty, but hopefully informative retelling of that fateful night and the aftermath of the explosion. I wasn’t wrong—and this ended up being one of my favorite nonfiction reads so far this year!

Publisher’s description:

From journalist Adam Higginbotham, the New York Times bestselling “account that reads almost like the script for a movie” (The Wall Street Journal)—a powerful investigation into Chernobyl and how propaganda, secrecy, and myth have obscured the true story of one of the history’s worst nuclear disasters.

Early in the morning of April 26, 1986, Reactor Number Four of the Chernobyl Atomic Energy Station exploded, triggering one of the 20th century’s greatest disasters. In the thirty years since then, Chernobyl has become lodged in the collective nightmares of the world: shorthand for the spectral horrors of radiation poisoning, for a dangerous technology slipping its leash, for ecological fragility, and for what can happen when a dishonest and careless state endangers its citizens and the entire world. But the real story of the accident, clouded from the beginning by secrecy, propaganda, and misinformation, has long remained in dispute.

Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews conducted over the course of more than ten years, as well as letters, unpublished memoirs, and documents from recently-declassified archives, Adam Higginbotham brings the disaster to life through the eyes of the men and women who witnessed it firsthand. The result is a “riveting, deeply reported reconstruction” (Los Angeles Times) and a definitive account of an event that changed history: a story that is more complex, more human, and more terrifying than the Soviet myth.

My thoughts:

I have discovered, somewhat to my consternation, that I find survival stories deeply intriguing. And while this tale of what happened in Chernobyl isn’t your classic man-gets-stranded-somewhere-and-has-to-survive story, it is the story of a nation (and the world, really) staggering under an immense blow and finding a way to keep going despite the destruction. I find that inspiring—the courage of those who did the hard yards, even if they knew they would suffer for it later, as well as the courage of those who battled something they didn’t understand, obeying commands even when they did not know the danger they were placing themselves in (aside from the obvious “It’s bad.”).

I also found it fascinating to consider how the structure of the Soviet government contributed to this disaster. Because of the “perform or be ousted” culture, statistics and other critical information weren’t always reported correctly—inflated truths, or even lies, were sometimes served up so people could keep their jobs, rather than admit they failed. While this wasn’t a major portion of the book, that’s one of the biggest things I’ve taken away from the story—a more in-depth picture of how the Soviet Union operated, and where some of its failings lay. As a commentary on human nature, I found that fascinating.

Apparently, this book is based on a lot of different interviews, and you can feel that in the work. It is a longer story, but I found it gripping and easy to read. And, even more importantly, I didn’t have much trouble keeping all the different key players in the story separate—unlike with some of the other things I’ve read or heard about this disaster! I appreciated that. This is a sobering story, and it does touch on some very difficult things, but if you are at all interested in growing your knowledge of the disaster, I’d highly recommend you read Midnight in Chernobyl. I already have another Adam Higginbotham book on my to-read list; he’s a good author!

WARNING: Multiple mentions of lying. Prologue: You son of a bitch, fucking. Chapter 2: Mention of billions of years. Chapter 3: People have a party and get drunk. Chapter 4: Shit. Chapter 5: Fucking. Chapter 6: Fuck. Chapter 7: Shitting. Chapter 8: Shit. Chapter 10: To hell with it. Chapter 11: If you want to be a dad, cover your balls in lead. Chapter 12: You bastard, shit. Chapter 13: Damn, descriptions of radiation sickness and the effects on the body, people die. Chapter 15: Story of men who got drunk and then were accidentally killed in a horrific way, dammit, a piece of shit. Chapter 17: Fucking. Chapter 18: Man tries to commit suicide twice and succeeds on the third time, damned. Chapter 20: Damn him.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Take the Horse and Run

April 8, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

8 Apr

Title: Take the Horse and Run
Author: Haylee Graham
Major Themes: Memoirs, Horses, Friendship, Faith
Synopsis: After her parent’s divorce and with a tumultuous home life, Haylee’s best friend was her horse—and then a lawyer, once a family friend, took them to court to seize the horse in an effort to settle outstanding debts, turning Haylee’s life upside down.

Over the years, as my reading tastes have expanded, memoirs and other nonfiction have become frequent in my reading diet. I saw Take the Horse and Run several times when looking at other ARC offerings, and something about the title grabbed my attention. I’m so glad I took the time to look into this one more deeply—it ended up being a gripping, almost-unbelievable, but very, very good read!

Publisher’s description:

How far would you go to save your best friend?

When her parents’ divorce turns her entire world upside down, the only place Haylee Graham feels safe, happy, and seen is in the company of her beloved horse, Cartier. So, when a ruthless lawyer threatens to seize ownership of Cartier and sell him to a slaughterhouse to settle the family’s outstanding legal debts—Haylee’s mother urges her daughter to do the unthinkable: Take the horse and run.

That night, under cover of darkness, 18-year-old Haylee stages a daring escape, unaware that a shady private investigator is hot on her trail. Life on the run quickly turns dangerous, and Haylee and Cartier are soon separated, setting off a chilling chain of events that almost costs both of them their lives.

Packed with unforgettable characters, gripping suspense, and heart-wrenching twists and turns, Take the Horse and Run is an extraordinary story of loyalty, courage, the unbreakable bond between a girl and her horse, and the redemptive power of faith.

My thoughts:

I didn’t intend to read this story quite this early. As I write this review, it’s November 2025, and this memoir doesn’t publish until next April. I intended to wait until maybe a month before the publication date to read this story, but one evening when I wanted something to read, and this was the only book handy, I picked it up. The story gripped me from the first page, and I quickly realized that this wasn’t one I’d set down and finish in a few months—it almost demanded I finish now! Graham did a great job writing her story without getting bogged down in too many facts; she made me feel like I was there, experiencing everything with her, even though I’ve never had much interest in horses or show jumping.

Several times, while reading this book, I thought, “This is so crazy, it’s almost hard to believe!” But yet there was always a ring of sincerity and truth in the words, so I couldn’t dismiss it.

Two things particularly stuck out to me: 1) How much our decisions affect others, and 2) the beautiful transformation the Lord can bring to our lives, no matter how imperfect we are. Much of the premise of this book wouldn’t have happened except that a desperate woman, the author’s mother, made the wrong decision, which ended up costing her and her family much grief and pain for years to come. (By the way, I loved the grace Haylee showed her mom—I didn’t detect any bitterness there at the end of the story, which is a near miracle, in my opinion!) It was also incredible to see the ways the Lord cared for Haylee, even when she was depressed and struggling.

If you’re looking for a memoir that will touch your heart, I’d recommend Take the Horse and Run. In some ways, it’s not an easy read—Haylee lived in a very dysfunctional household for many years—but it’s also a beautiful story of friendship, redemption, and hope. I loved this read, and I’d definitely be curious to read some of Graham’s other books if she ever publishes more!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book, and this is my honest opinion of it.

WARNING: Chapter 2: Drinking (this is mentioned several other times, as well; one character is almost perpetually drunk). Chapter 5: Mom pregnant out of wedlock. Chapter 6: Physical abuse because of drinking, girl thinks about suicide. Chapter 7: Lying, a woman hits a man in self-defense. Chapter 11: Lying, drinking, taking pills to knock her out (almost an overdose). Chapter 15: Girl overdoses on purpose but survives, Oh my God. Chapter 16: Woman boasts about knocking a man out, lying. Chapter 17: Good God, I swear. Chapter 18: I swear. Chapter 22: Brief mention of nightclubs and wearing provocative clothing, my God. Chapter 23: Lying.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

The Story of the Trapp Family Singers

April 6, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

6 Apr

The Story of the Trapp Family Singers cover

Title: The Story of the Trapp Family Singers
Author: Maria Augusta Trapp
Major Themes: Large Families, Family Life, World War II, Singing
Synopsis: The real story of the Trapp Family Singers, as told from the beautiful (and frequently humorous) memories of Maria von Trapp.

As far back as I can remember, Mom has read aloud to our family. We’ve read thousands of books together over the years, but one I remember from way back was The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. I loved it as a youngster—long before I ever watched The Sound of Music, even!—and recently, after watching the movie together as a family, I decided it was high time for my younger siblings to hear the story, too. I started reading it and realized all over again what a gem of a book this is. Even when we were having a picnic lunch down by the river one day, my brothers begged me to read it aloud to them—and I was grateful to find an ebook to borrow, because we didn’t have the paperback with us! We all enjoyed this book to its fullest.

Publisher’s description:

With nearly 1,500 Broadway performances, six Tony Awards, more than three million albums sold, and five Academy Awards, The Sound of Music, based on the lives of Maria, the baron, and their singing children, is as familiar to most of us as our own family history. But much about the real-life woman and her family was left untold.

Here, Baroness Maria Augusta Trapp tells in her own beautiful, simple words the extraordinary story of her romance with the baron, their escape from Nazi-occupied Austria, and their life in America.

My thoughts:

Maria has the most beautiful sense of humor—that was something that struck me as soon as we started the book, and it continued through until the end. Not only does she have a great perspective on others, but she’s also willing to laugh at herself, which ends up being both refreshing and encouraging.

Where the movie ties the Trapp’s story up in a pretty bow, this book tells what really happened—and, fortunately for the family, it wasn’t quite as dramatic as the movie portrays it. The heartache was all too real, though, and I appreciated getting this family’s perspective on the war. I also really enjoyed getting to see a bit more of what the family got to do together before the war came—several scenes on a particularly memorable family holiday on an island were especially striking for me! I also enjoyed watching as the family moved out of their comfort zone and were able to bless others with their music. It wasn’t an easy process, but they were able to do it together—and that made the difference!

I also greatly appreciated the faith element in the story. Although I’m not Catholic, and can’t agree with some aspects of Catholicism, I did thoroughly appreciate Maria’s heart for the Lord—that was evident many times, in many different ways. I loved reading about how the family worshiped and prayed together, and the ways they made sure to keep their faith as the center of their lives. There were also some beautiful examples of ways the Lord helped them as a direct result of their turning to him—I loved that!

The Story of the Trapp Family Singers ended up being one of my top favorite nonfiction reads this year. It’s heartfelt, engaging, relatable, and thoroughly enjoyable. Our whole family enjoyed it; it was an easy one to find time for even on busy evenings, and has proved once again to be a beloved book on our shelves. If you enjoy stories of large families along the lines of Cheaper by the Dozen or Ten P’s in a Pod, you’re sure to like this book, as well.

WARNING: The family was Catholic, so their faith came through many times in the story. Part 1—Chapter 1: My goodness, for heaven’s sake. Chapter 5: For heaven’s sake, my goodness. Chapter 7: For heaven’s sake, brief paragraph about a woman in labor. Chapter 8: Heavens, for heaven’s sake. Chapter 13: Doctor recommends abortion. Part 2—Chapter 6: Goodness. Chapter 8: “ ‘Sex appeal.’ ” I memorized the words. For heaven’s sake, I mustn’t forget the precious phrase before I found out what it was.” Chapter 9: Gee whiz, golly Moses, jeepers creepers, gosh (phrases taught Maria when learning English, which she had to unlearn). Chapter 11: For heaven’s sake. Chapter 13: Darn. Chapter 14: Thank goodness. Chapter 16: Goodness, for heaven’s sake. Chapter 18: Description of the states refugees arrived in. Chapter 19: Thank heaven, thank goodness, for heaven’s sake, my God, man dies. Chapter 21: Story of men who were shot for humming a folksong.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Before and After

April 3, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

3 Apr

Title: Before and After
Author: Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate
Major Themes: Adoption, Georgia Tann, Abuse
Synopsis: After the story of Georgia Tann’s corrupt child-selling business was uncovered in the well-known novel Before We Were Yours, adoptees discovered their own connections with the story and many were reunited with their birth families.

Two or three years ago, I came across the audiobook of Before We Were Yours. The story captured my imagination, and by the time I finished it, it had taken its place as one of my top ten books that year. It was an excellent story, and even now, it ranks as one of the most touching novels I’ve ever read. When I saw Before and After, I was intrigued—how often do you get to read a book about how a novel changed people’s lives? This turned out to be an interesting true-life follow-up to the story, one I recently enjoyed listening to.

Publisher’s description:

The compelling, poignant true stories of victims of a notorious adoption scandal—some of whom learned the truth from Lisa Wingate’s bestselling novel Before We Were Yours and were reunited with birth family members as a result of its wide reach.

From the 1920s to 1950, Georgia Tann ran a black-market baby business at the Tennessee Children’s Home Society in Memphis. She offered up more than 5,000 orphans tailored to the wish lists of eager parents—hiding the fact that many weren’t orphans at all, but stolen sons and daughters of poor families, desperate single mothers, and women told in maternity wards that their babies had died.

The publication of Lisa Wingate’s novel Before We Were Yours brought new awareness of Tann’s lucrative career in child trafficking. Adoptees who knew little about their pasts gained insight into the startling facts behind their family histories. Encouraged by their contact with Wingate and award-winning journalist Judy Christie, who documented the stories of fifteen adoptees in this book, many determined Tann survivors set out to trace their roots and find their birth families.

Before and After includes moving and sometimes shocking accounts of the ways in which adoptees were separated from their first families. Often raised as only children, many have joyfully reunited with siblings in the final decades of their lives. Christie and Wingate tell of first meetings that are all the sweeter and more intense for time missed and of families from very different social backgrounds reaching out to embrace better-late-than-never brothers, sisters, and cousins. In a poignant culmination of art meeting life, many of the long-silent victims of the tragically corrupt system return to Memphis with the authors to reclaim their stories at a Tennessee Children’s Home Society reunion…with extraordinary results.

My thoughts:

I’ve always had a heart for people who grew up as fostered or adopted children. Their lives can be so difficult—frequently, there are far too many unanswered questions or deep hurts. Compound that with the likes of Georgia Tann’s child-selling business and falsified adoption records, and you have a recipe for a lot more hurt. This story doesn’t focus on that aspect so much, though, as on the hope and healing Lisa Wingate’s story brought people. For the first time, adoptees were able to start piecing together what happened in their histories, and the results were often beautiful.

I enjoyed getting the dual perspectives of Judy Christie and Lisa Wingate in Before and After. Hearing how they worked together to try to help people was inspiring, and I loved the way they were able to give a voice to many who were previously voiceless through these pages. The stories of the adoptees were often heartbreaking, but also frequently hopeful—it was touching to be able to hear their perspectives on how they were treated as children.

If you enjoy books about adopted children, or have read Before We Were Yours (which I’d highly encourage you to read, if you haven’t!), I’d recommend you check out this book. Some aspects are difficult to hear, but it’s also a special testament to the resiliency of our human nature and the hope that, ultimately, things will work out for the best. A worthwhile read!

WARNING: Chapter 1: Oh my gosh. Chapter 3: My gracious. Chapter 5: Oh my gosh (twice). Chapter 6: Oh my God, story of a married man coming in at night and climbing into bed with a girl’s mother, my God. Chapter 7: Damn, Lordy lordy. Chapter 15: Darn, damn, mention of astrology. Chapter 18: Oh my gosh.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com