All That We Carried: A Novel

All That We Carried is the first book that I have read by Erin Bartels. The author’s descriptive writing allows the reader to visualize the scenes especially the Porcupine Mountains and the beautiful waterfalls. The author created realistic characters. Melanie and Olivia Greene are as different as two sisters can be. Olivia is a prosecutor who is detail oriented and a planner while Melanie is a life coach and blogger. Melanie embraces a variety of spiritual and religious concepts and practices which baffles Olivia. The sisters bickering was realistic (speaking as someone who has bickered with her own sister). The trip was stressful with both sisters holding grudges (which leads to squabbling). The story is well-written, but it is slow paced (courtesy of the detail-oriented writing). We get to see things from each sister’s perspective (it alternates point-of-view between Melanie and Olivia). Melanie and Olivia get a chance to discuss their religious beliefs and if they believe in God. Their hike through the mountains is a metaphorical representation of the obstacles in their relationship. You wonder if they can resolve their conflicts before they finish their journey. I thought the ending was anticlimactic. There could have been a better wrap-up. Forgiveness is one of the main themes in the book. Olivia has yet to forgive the man who killed their parents. Her bitterness is holding her back. The story has a parable quality to it with Josh who I believe is meant to be Jesus. The get a little guidance during their journey from a kind man. All That We Carried was not what I expected. My journey through All That We Carried was not enjoyable. I found myself bored, frustrated, and annoyed. I have heard good things about Erin Bartels previous novels, though, I will check them out. While All That We Carried did not work for me, I suggest you obtain a sample to check it out for yourself.

Oh, my! I don’t even know where to start with this amazing book! I would give it more than five stars if I could because it had me pondering, imagining, and crying at times, too. What a wonderful story of a broken relationship between two siblings who take a hike together in order to try to reconnect. If things could go wrong on the hike, they did and both Olivia and Melanie are left wondering what they were thinking when they chose to go on this trip. The characters were so very realistic that I could see myself in Olivia, the sister who just had to organize everything down to the last detail. The story also included Christian beliefs, why we believe what we do. This story had me doing some deep diving into my own beliefs as I read the story of the two sisters coming to terms with what they believe and why. I really enjoyed reading about the character of Josh, a young man who always seemed to be there to rescue them right at the moment when they needed him. Definitely a picture of Jesus! And then there was Justin. He was a young man who was so needy and whose needs were met in the most miraculous of ways! I can’t say more without spoiling the story for others, but I highly recommend this book for all who want to read a tale of two sisters, a hiking trail and their journey to the truth. Disclaimer Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”