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    The Pieces We Keep
    The Pieces We Keep
    The Pieces We Keep
    Audiobook13 hours

    The Pieces We Keep

    Written by Kristina McMorris

    Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Two years have done little to ease veterinarian Audra Hughes's grief over her husband's untimely death. Eager for a fresh start, Audra plans to leave Portland for a new job in Philadelphia. Her seven-year-old son, Jack, seems apprehensive about flying-but it's just the beginning of an anxiety that grows to consume him.

    As Jack's fears continue to surface in recurring and violent nightmares, Audra hardly recognizes the introverted boy he has become. Desperate, she traces snippets of information unearthed in Jack's dreams, leading her to Sean Malloy, a struggling U.S. Army veteran wounded in Afghanistan. Together they unravel a mystery dating back to World War II, and uncover old family secrets that still have the strength to wound-and perhaps, at last, to heal.

    Intricate and beautifully written, The Pieces We Keep illuminates those moments when life asks us to reach beyond what we know and embrace what was once unthinkable. Deftly weaving together past and present, herein lies a story that is at once poignant and thought-provoking, and as unpredictable as the human heart.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateApr 9, 2014
    ISBN9781494570125
    The Pieces We Keep
    Author

    Kristina McMorris

    Kristina McMorris is a New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of two novellas and seven historical novels, including Sold on a Monday with over a million copies sold. The recipient of more than twenty national literary awards, she previously hosted weekly TV shows for Warner Bros. and an ABC affiliate, beginning at age nine with an Emmy Award-winning program, and owned a wedding-and-event-planning company until she far surpassed her limit of "Y.M.C.A." and chicken dances. She lives with her family in Oregon. Visit her online at kristinamcmorris.com; Instagram: @kristina.mcmorris; Twitter: @KrisMcmorris; and Facebook: @KristinaMcMorrisAuthor.

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    Reviews for The Pieces We Keep

    4/5

    59 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      4.5 stars.

      Kristina McMorris' The Pieces We Keep is haunting and bittersweet story of two different women, one in the present, one in the past and the inexplicable connection that brings them together. This intriguing and engrossing novel unfolds from both women's perspectives with the chapters alternating between the two different time periods. The unpredictable and inventive storyline is riveting, but it is the incredible cast of characters that makes this story so utterly captivating.

      Beginning with a highly dramatic end to their plane trip, life for grieving widow Audra Hughes and her son Jack is about to spiral out of control. Horrific and recurring night terrors, increasingly violent artwork and unexplained knowledge of wartime events by seven year Jack leave Audra desperately seeking answers for his increasingly bizarre behavior. Her quest to help Jack leads her to very a unusual possible explanation involving wounded Afghanistan solider Sean Malloy and a failed World War II romance between a young American woman and a young German man.

      Two years after her husband's sudden death, Audra is still struggling to balance her work and home life. Thinking a fresh start is what she and Jack both need to move on, Audra is interviewing for jobs out of state when Jack's problems escalate out of control. Luckily she has a good friend and her former in laws to assist her, but her sleepless nights and increasing concern for Jack take their toll and Audra leaves her job to care for him full time. Jack's encounter with Sean leads Audra to a startling conclusion and after she confides her suspicions to Jack's grandparents, she is stunned by their unexpected reaction.

      Just as compelling as Audra and Jack's part of the storyline is the romance that forms between American Vivian James and Isaak, the young man she meets in England in the days leading up to World War II. Separated after the war begins, Vivian's new life in New York takes an unanticipated detour just as she is on the verge of a new relationship. Vivian is forced to make a decision that has far reaching implications that reverberate for several generations.

      The premise of The Pieces We Keep is quite fascinating and it is virtually impossible to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. The parallels between the two women's emotions and experiences coupled with the chapters ending on suspenseful note keep the pages of the novel briskly turning. Kristina McMorris' meticulous research and historical accuracy provide a richly detailed backdrop for the unfolding storylines. All of the various threads are tied together in a satisfying conclusion that leaves no question unanswered.

      An astounding novel that I recommend to fans of both historical and contemporary fiction.
    • 2/5
      I think this book could have been so much better. Parts were too long, parts were overstated, parts were just not cohesive. This was a book I could easily put down and walk away.
    • 5/5
      A sweet, quietly good book.Audra Hughes is still grieving for her husband two years later, especially as her seven-year-old son, Jack, also continues to grieve. As she tries to move on, finding a job in another state, Jack begins having night terrors, becomes obsessed with WWII, and Audra thinks she going crazy, as she begins to wonder if her son is the reincarnation of someone from that time period.At the same time, we read about Vivian, a young woman living abroad and in love with a boy in London as WWII approaches. He has a secret, and the repercussions of that secret follow her back home in America. These two stories intersect in a lovely way.Recommended.
    • 4/5
      It's been a long time since a book has kept me up until 4 a.m., but this one did just that. I love a good book that alternates between the past and the present and keeps you in suspense along the way. The ending was a little too neat and tidy for me, which kept me from giving it a full five stars (I think an epilogue would have served the book better) but if you enjoy WWII fiction, you will enjoy this.
    • 5/5
      Audra Hughes life has been a waking nightmare for the two years since the tragic, untimely death of her husband Devon, a death that’s left her an unprepared and changed woman. Her job as a veterinarian and their young son Jack is her main reason for getting up in the morning and now Jack is suddenly being afflicted with real nightmares that are affecting his waking and sleeping hours. Physical effects of Jack’s dreamings are fracturing an already tenuous thread in Audra’s personal and professional life and causing a rift in an already fragile relationship with her in-laws. In her search for answers and help for Jack Audra is forced to face a reality that the dreams Jack is having are rooted more in mystery and myth than in facts because the more those dreams and the effects are analyzed the more it becomes apparent that they relate to real events that happened decades ago, events Jack couldn’t possibly know, that happened before, during and after WWII. Events that will introduce her to people who are descendants of those WWII characters, people who will change her life again, people who will make her open her eyes to possibilities she never dreamed existed. And make her reconsider a faith she thought she’d lost forever.Kristina McMorris’s hunger for history is apparent in every line in her latest novel The Pieces We Keep. Her premise is as always unique, intelligent and utterly believable. Her eloquent narrative breathtakingly and beautifully brings to life her story of love, loss and war and as she tells her fictional tale she includes a bit of truth to give it a dose of reality, while her dialogue heralds both past and present perfectly. Her war torn love-triangle of the past is especially passionate and paints a colorful and graphic epic war story of that era, and at the same time her poignant present tale is harrowing as well as hopeful. Her characters are all multifaceted, all authentically portrayed and all emotionally honest some tragic some blessed, some gentle some forceful. If you love historical fiction, WWII stories or just really great literary fiction this will be your next Must Read.Kristina, you have tantalized and mesmerized me before but I think you’ve outdone yourself with this novel and I can’t wait until the next adventure through your words.
    • 3/5
      I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand it took me forever to finish the first half of the book and I couldn't keep my interest in it for more than a few pages. On the other hand I flew through the second half of the book. I am a little confused by this because I usually love Kristina McMorris' books.I think I would have loved this book if it had only been about the characters from WWII. For the first half of the book I couldn't stand the present day characters. The only time I found myself liking them was when their connection to the WWII characters was revealed. I just really enjoyed reading about Vivian and would have rather that story been completely fleshed out in the book.Overall the ending didn't make up for the first half that seemed to take me forever to read.
    • 5/5
      Kristina McMorris has taken two very interesting storylines and combined them into a great book. She manages to intertwine the true-to-life story of Nazi spies on U.S. soil with the also real phenomenon of children who have unexplained memories and abilities. There are many tense situations in this book as McMorris masterfully creates plenty of suspense. The reader can no better detect Izaak’s true allegiances than can Vivian. Up to the last pages it’s not clear if Izaak is sincere or not, if Vivian’s love is misplaced and merely a means to his ends or whether he loves her too. The same is true of Jack and Audra’s story. What is going on with Jack? Can anyone figure it out? Can Audra accept the truth? Audra and Jack’s association with Sean Malloy is a welcome interlude in their life but is it all it appears to be?McMorris obviously spends a lot of time researching her books and ensuring they are historically accurate. Much like those of James Michener, McMorris’s story is rich with interesting fictional characters and situations so the book never becomes a dry tome of days gone by. The historical perspective also lends a heightened air of credibility. I loved the story while learning a lot.RATING: 4.5HEAT RATING: Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.REVIEWED BY: ReadWarriorCourtesy of My Book Addiction and More
    • 5/5
      The Pieces We Keep by Kristina McMorris with its World War II setting, exceptional love story, comfortable writing style, and a beautiful ending makes it an enjoyable read. It is a marvelous book that traces two seemingly unrelated stories shifting time periods in alternating chapters. One story happens in the present day while the other story takes place during the World War II.Many readers will understand the dilemma confronting veterinarian Audra Hughes, a young single mom and widow, who is trying to board a plane with her 7-year-old son Jack to go for a job interview. Jack's fear of flying quickly gets the situation out of hand, and Audra is forced to cancel her trip. She ends up embarking on a different journey, one that is transfixing and which has the possibility of changing her life.Audra's story set in 2012 is an emotional one. She had lost her husband two years earlier, and it is not easy caring for her young son, Jack, who experiences violent nightmares. She has no family to help, and her in-laws seem to be up in arms against her. Her life appears to be at a crossroad.The other story is that of Vivian James, the daughter of an American diplomat in London as World War II is about to break out. It is about her relationship with Isaak, an American of European descent. Vivian returns to New York when the war eventually breaks out and is on the verge beginning a new relationship when she is required to make a choice that has far reaching effects that reverberate across generations.The Pieces We Keep by Kristina McMorris is a beautifully written story. It is immediately difficult to understand how the story of Audra and Jack relates with that of Vivian, but as the story goes deeper it becomes clear as daylight how their lives are enigmatically intertwined. What I particularly like about this book is how McMorris uses the two time periods to great effect, and keeping the suspense to the very end. It is a story you will fall in love with!
    • 5/5
      Certain stories grab you and hold you tight. Others are ones you wish would never end. Others are stories that have the most captivating story, others engrossing characters. The Pieces We Keep has all that and so much more. I was so wrapped up in all the layers that I lost track of time and become part of the story myself. The Pieces We Keep is a 5 star hit!!!!
    • 4/5
      This book begins with an attention-grabbing scene in which young single mom and widow Audra Hughes is trying to board an airplane with her 7-year-old son Jack to go to a job interview. The situation quickly gets out of hand, and Audra is forced to cancel her trip. But she ends up embarking on a different journey, one that is gripping and intelligently conceived.The story switches back and forth between Audra’s story in 2012 and that of Vivian James in 1939. Vivian is the rather sheltered daughter of an American diplomat in Britain as World War II is about to break out. How the two stories are related to each other is revealed in a very clever way. On a structural level, cliffhangers and segues at the end of each chapter in one time period lead into the action at the beginning of the next chapter but in the other time period. This creates an emergent phenomenon, to borrow the language of science, causing you to get a sense of how the stories are tied together without explicit exposition by the author.Substantively, the stories are also tied together, in ways quite complicated that also become more clear as the plot develops. We glimpse the key to their connection at the very beginning, because one of the aftermaths of the airplane fiasco is that little Jack starts exhibiting disturbing symptoms of traumatic stress. He has night terrors and is drawing rather bizarre violent images at school. It doesn’t seem to be a delayed reaction to his father’s death two years earlier, because oddly, his dreams and images are about World War II. Audra is at her wits end, and her late husband’s parents suspect that something is wrong with Audra’s parenting. As the mystery unfolds, we are kept at the edge of our seats, until the threads finally come together. A bit thrillingly for me as a reader, we end up knowing (most of) what really happened at the end, although none of the characters know the whole story. (I love that: not only do I get the story tied up, but I even know what they don’t know!)Discussion: There is some lovely writing in this story:"The setting sun cast London’s skyline in silhouette. Orange rays poured liquid ribbons over the Thames, guiding a flock of boats downstream.”"The summer had heated to a boil. On September 1, Hitler waltzed into Poland with the confidence of Fred Astaire.”There are also interesting meditations on epistemology. Audra favors a scientific approach to phenomena, and yet, “she had learned there was more to our world than what any of us could see or fully comprehend.” This book is guaranteed to engender many lively discussions in book clubs!Evaluation: This winning book is as much of a page-turner as a crime novel, and yet it is not a dark or scary book; in fact, I would probably characterize it as more of a story about love; love that transcends time and space. But all of the characters have to learn that real love is as much about forgiveness as about the “dizzying, volatile whirlwind” that initially brings two people together. Highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      The Pieces We Keep is McMorris’ third novel and, I believe, her best so far. It has the elements I loved about her previous books – WWII setting, unconventional love story, gorgeous prose, and a bittersweet conclusion. It would have been simple to stick with a formula that has proven to work in the past. Instead, McMorris challenged herself (and her readers) by taking two seemingly unrelated story lines, one present day and one from WWII, and presenting them in alternating chapters. A careful reader will soon have theories about who is haunting Jack and why, but the puzzle is so cleverly unraveled that I doubt anyone will have all the pieces in place before the end.I imagine a lot readers will reach the end much faster than they anticipate. There is simply no good place to set the book down. Each chapter ending left me feeling as though my toes hung over a virtual cliff and that I’d be forced to look down until I found out what happened. Of course, because the chapters alternated time periods, this meant I must read through another whole chapter before I could find out. Skipping ahead was not an option. History buffs will enjoy reading about little-known WWII tidbits such as German saboteurs in America. The romance and mystery elements should have wide appeal. Books clubs will have several controversial issues to discuss and debate. The Pieces We Keep is sure to touch an especially deep nerve for parents of “old soul” children. Jack’s fear of flying reminded me of my own daughter’s fear of bridges and storms. She’s been terrified of both since toddlerhood and it’s to such a marked degree that I've wondered if she’s having some sort of premonition. I had not considered the possibility of it being a memory before, but find that theory much more comforting.There’s something for everyone in this book. I highly recommend it.
    • 4/5
      When I began reading the book, I thought that I would not like it, but, after a few chapters, it drew me in. the switching back and forth between stories was a little confusing until I was familiar with the character and able to differentiate them. The story was of a young boy having night terrors related to things that happened in WWII and his mother's struggles to cope with that and the recent death of her husband. The author realistically set up conflicts for the characters. Suspicions of abuse, questions of whom to trust and reactions to betrayals were all credible, though the premise of past lives was not one to which I would adhere. The author told a good story and I enjoyed the book. I have not been compensated in any way (other than being given a copy of this book to review) and my opinion on the book is entirely my own.