As I’ve said before, I enjoy reading historical fiction novels, and I was especially excited to get to read an ARC of Half-Truths by Carol Baldwin. I first met Mrs. Baldwin at a Write2Ignite conference in 2018, and she walked me through writing my first book review for Write2Ignite. Her advice and encouragement have helped me become a better writer, and I’m excited to get to share in this milestone with her.

Review

Fifteen-year-old Anna Katherine “Katie” Dinsmore aspires to be journalist during a pivotal period of American history. The Korean Conflict has begun, Jim Crow laws are prevalent throughout the South, and the Civil Rights Movement is about to be born. Desiring a better education, Katie decides to leave her family’s tobacco farm and go live with her grandparents in Charlotte, North Carolina. Life with her grandparents, however, is totally different from Katie’s life on the farm. Things become further complicated when she meets her grandmother’s teenage servant, Lillian. The more they get to know each other, the more secrets they discover, and the more questions they have. What caused Katie’s father to become so estranged from his parents? What secrets is Lillian’s grandmother keeping from her? And what half-truths have caused family secrets to be buried for decades?

“Like long, choking fingers, the past strangled our family” (240).

Half-Truths is told from Katie’s point of view, which allows the reader to see her internal thoughts and struggles as well as how her character develops. The novel flows seamlessly from chapter to chapter and keeps the reader engaged. Katie is constantly asking questions throughout the book, and her curiosity drives the story. Both Katie and Lillian must overcome their preconceived notions about each other, and their conflicts are realistic. Katie’s character develops the most, as she learns to be true to herself. I found Katie’s rocky relationship with her grandmother to be one of the most interesting aspects of the story, and the contrast between them is well written.

“Another way to describe a ‘small lie’ is a half-truth.” Grandmother’s words catch me off guard. “We taught your father that half-truths are whole lies” (252).

The theme of half-truths is prevalent throughout the book, as Katie and Lillian continually confront the half-truths they tell and the ones they have been told. They realize how harmful a “small lie” can be (252). While not explicitly stated, Katie and her family are Christians, and the novel contains Christian themes such as the danger of telling lies and biblical references such as the story of the Good Samaritan. The ending left me satisfied, as both Katie and Lillian are pursuing their dreams.

I recommend Half-Truths to teen and young adult readers ages fourteen and up, especially if they enjoy historical fiction. Half-Truths offers a window into a controversial time period, yet the lessons it teaches are applicable today.

Don't Wait!

You can pre-order Half-Truths today on Barnes and Noble or Amazon. It will be released on April 2.

To order an autographed copy of Half-Truths from Park Road Books in Charlotte, North Carolina, please email: orders@parkroadbooks.com.

Author Interview

Check out my interview with author Carol Baldwin to hear more about Half-Truths!

To connect with Carol, scan this QRC code:

GIVEAWAY!

To be entered into a giveaway for a copy of Half-Truths, please leave a comment on this post by March 27.

Kathryn Dover lives in South Carolina with her family including five cats, a dog, three fish, and many house plants. She recently graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and was a valedictorian of the Class of 2024. She’s not sure what she wants to do as a career, only that she wants to write, but is trusting that God has a plan for her life to use her in a powerful way. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing with her pets, and growing plants.