Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

The first book of February is done. technically started in January but wasn't able to finish till now. This book started slow for me and then picked up in the second half, which made the book for me.

It is a duel timelines story. The mother's story in the past (the late aughts and early 1920s) and the Daughter's story in the mid-'50s. personally, the mother's story is the most compelling, and wish it would have been the main focus of the whole book. That way I enjoyed the second half of the story because it did focus on the mother more.

I also felt the story was a bit unresolved in the end, still not sure how the secret was ever really resolved. It was still an interesting story about survival, loss, and how the past can haunt us even when we think we put it behind us.

I received a copy of this book as part of a book tour. The premise sounded interesting but I don’t think that I am the target audience for this story. For that reason I am not leaving reviews elsewhere.

Mother - Daughter story during a difficult time; a story with dual timelines = recipe for uniqueness or a flop. In this case it felt disjointed, slow and boring.

"The best stories can be as unpredictable as miracles. They can surprise you, even when you think you know them by heart."

Fourteen-year-old Molly is inquisitive by nature- a writer, like her mother Elaine, Molly seeks out the truth. When her mother's secrets begin to tear apart Molly's family, she decides to seek out the truth from Elaine's past. Molly starts with her Uncle Stephen for some clues, however, soon Stephen's life is turned upside down as the church begins to investigate him for performing a miracle. With the attention that Stephen's miracle brings, Molly and her brother Angus begin to see a different side of their mother, making Molly more anxious for the secrets that her mother is hiding from 1918. While investigating her mother's past, Molly might just create a miracle of her own.


Between Before & After is a heartwarming and gorgeously written story that examines family, secrets and a little bit of magic. Told in a dual narrative switching between Elaine and Stephen's childhood in 1918 Brooklyn and Molly and Angus' in 1955 San Jose, the differences between their lives is highlighted as well as the mental stress of Elaine's secrets. I felt equally drawn to both timeline stories as Elaine's life in Brooklyn quickly changes after the Spanish Flu epidemic and she becomes responsible for her little brother and running the household. The 1918 timeline also had the story of Hansel and Gretel woven throughout that added a fabulous fairy-tale element that strangely connected to Elaine and Stephen's story perfectly. In Molly's timeline the possibility of miracles and exposing of secrets creates mild suspense and drama that slowly teases out the consequences of Elaine's secret. With an emotionally driven story line and seamless writing, Between Before & After will capture your heart.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

When I read the blurb for this book I immediately knew that I was going to have to read this one! There are some things I liked about this book and some things I didn’t like. I liked that questions start rising from the very first chapter. I think that Maureen has a gift for painting mental pictures through words, from characters, to places, to injuries; I could easily imagine the scene. I loved the time frame of the book. My absolute favorite thing about this book is, every chapter adds something to the story, and no chapter was wasted. I loved that every page left you wanting more. I loved the way the book ended.
There are a few things I didn’t like. I picked this up thinking it would be a Christian book, but it wasn’t even close to Christian in my opinion. I saw it as a mainstream book with some Christian background to it. My reasons for this are because; there were a couple of curse words that the characters used three or four times throughout the book. It covered many dark topics such as teen pregnancy, affairs, abuse, and alcoholism. I could have overlooked most of this if there was a stronger Christian message.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I thought that it was very well written, especially with it being her first full length novel. I would have given it five stars if it were not for the language and the lack of a Christian message. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a very well written page turner.

"“The carnage began with the roses. She hacked at their ruffled blooms until they dropped into monstrous drifts of red on the parched yellow lawn … Only two things kept my mother grounded to us: my uncle Stephen and stories.”"

-The story of family secrets, hopes and changes. It is beautifully written, characters are amazing and intriguing. The book has two timelines and wraps everything up nicely. great read!

I love a story with dual timelines. It's a trope that I just really enjoy, and in this story it was doen particularly well. This story follows Molly in 1955, learning about her mother's mysterious past. This is a story about love, family, secrets, miracles and hope. The writing was beautiful and I especially enjoyed reading about Elaine and her story of survival as a poor street child struggling to take care of her brother in 1919 NYC. Seeing her as a girl and as a mother in the 1955 sections was a very interesting look into the ways her life experiences had altered her view of the world.

I also really appreciated the inclusion of the Hansel and Gretel story. This novel being about siblings who had to rely on themselves, about a girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, it was very fitting. Even though I knew where the story was going (it was fairly predictable), I still felt compelled to continue because I needed to know what was going to happen to these characters.

BETWEEN BEFORE AND AFTER is a Time-Slip story set during a difficult time in history where a daughter faces some tough realities of life, and then at another time in history when life is a little simpler but where there are still prejudices and another daughter also faces her own difficulties. It reads more like a Women's Fiction story, and almost like reading a journal account of the prior time as the reader gets flashes and snippets of what happened in the past as the other storyline takes place. Those who love historical novels and memoirs, heavy on the hardships and historical aspects, may enjoy this one.

The writing was very well done. I didn't have any issues following along or get confused about which time period I was in. The characters were also quite complex. There were some interesting lessons or questions that the story brought forward and I appreciated that the author didn't really tell the reader what to think, but presented them in a way that it just makes you think.

I'll just honestly say that this was one of those stories that jarred me. I was expecting something completely different than what I got and it was hard to reconcile my expectations and the actual story. I also didn't particularly love any of the characters or even relate to them, although I did relate to some of the situations and one of the time periods. It's hard to read something like this that isn't necessarily pleasant to read in the first place, it be something you weren't expecting, and then not really like the characters. I also love Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities and was expecting to really love this, but I just didn't see as many connections... or maybe it just lacked the sweet moments and characters I loved that Dickens brought to his story.

In the end, was it what I wished for? If you love Women's Fiction, Memoirs or YA Historicals that are just telling the story of a woman and her daughter, then give this a try. It just wasn't for me.

Content: Some references to abuse and pre-marital relations.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through JustReadTours, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

This is an interesting story that has both historical fiction about a terrible medical event that killed many of Americans in the influenza epidemic in the 1900's and how this impacted families and relationships. I am always intrigued by the real life, human side of a medical event in history. It is told from multiple perspectives, which although somewhat difficult to follow at times, is probably a good way to tell the story to the fullest honestly. It also has multiple timelines, going forward and backward to capture the events during the epidemic and the events of the immigrants from Ireland and what their experiences were like at the time.
I would recommend this for readers who enjoy historical fiction such as Before They Were Yours.

#BetweenBeforeAndAfter #NetGalley

“Bury your past before it buried you.” That’s what Molly’s dad said to her mom before he left. Molly didn’t know what that meant but she meant to find out. As she tells the story, we go back and forth between Molly’s present, 1955, to her mom’s past in 1920. Her mother, Elaine, had a tough childhood, losing her mother and baby sister to the flu epidemic and being forced to steal and work to feed herself and her brother while their father drinks himself out of jobs and comes home less and less. Elaine begins working for a rich family and her life changes forever.

I preferred the 1919-1920 storyline more than the 1955 and found myself reading more quickly to get back to it when it strayed away. It was a quick read overall, during part of a day stuck in a jury waiting room. What I thought I would find was not what I would find, as Molly’s uncle/Elaine’s brother Stephen explains to Molly. You don’t know where a story is really going until you takes the journey with it. At least you hope that is what you find and it is what I found here.

Thanks to Maureen Doyle McQuerry, her publisher, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this quiet gem.

This book was interesting. The style wasn't my favorite, but it was still an interesting story about the Spanish Influenza.

Told from the perspective of siblings, Molly and her brother Angus, as well as seeing their mother and uncle, Elain and Stephen's lives, as children, we follow the story of Elain's past , understanding that there's hardship within the mysteries we choose to leave in the past. A story of love, heartbreak, and family ties that continue to prevail, Between Before and After goes down the deep path rooted in family, in stories that are too difficult to face, and gets a reader so invested in each character and their backstory that hearing it unfold is so heart-wrenching.

I loved seeing the relationship that Elain has with everyone in her life, and despite what she goes through, she has people who love and support her. Even more so, seeing her past catch up with her and her accepting and moving forward is such an important shift and growth in character makes her seem like a much more dynamic character than she was as a child!

There were definitely moments that were a bit slow and didn't understand it's importance later on, but overall, it was a fantastic little mystery that had my heart invested!

I enjoyed the mystery of this one. It was rather uncomfortable to read at times, but I like books that deal with real life.

Between Before and After is a unique but confusing story. I usually like multiple perspectives, but something about this didn't mesh together. Molly is the after, and her mother is the before. The dual points of view were disjointed from one another. I found the story hard to get started because it's slow. The best part is the miracle performed and the consequences of that act. It's a believable and plausible situation. The writing is lovely and flows nicely. Overall, I enjoyed this book in pieces but not as a whole. Thanks to NetGalley and Just Read Tours for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a historical story told between two perspectives: mother and daughter. And through each one, we discover a life of secrets, survival, and  growth.

I really enjoyed exploring the emotional writing style and Molly's mission to get to know her mother through her depression and the eventual losses she endures. It ties the historical time period and the two realities each character faced in their own way. 

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. While there were parts where I was immersed in the story, there were also times when I had to pause a moment to review what I just read which I found to be a little counterproductive. 

I think the writing style portrayed a different level to the book that made me want to strive to the end. It harbors the experiences of Irish Immigrants while also displaying a coming-of-age story with her daughter. The darker moments give you a raw feel to the family and give you an overall dramatic impact.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

“The carnage began with the roses. She hacked at their ruffled blooms until they dropped into monstrous drifts of red on the parched yellow lawn … Only two things kept my mother grounded to us: my uncle Stephen and stories.”
First impression: The cover is AMAZING. Seriously so beautiful. Anyways, onto the good stuff!

With sheer style and grace, McQuerry manages to interlace two generations of secrets without losing the reader in between. At first, it felt a bit suited for younger audiences but it was still easy and enjoyable to read. I started to get more and more drawn into the story as I read.
I enjoyed the settings, particularly the San Jose setting because I live about an hour from there.

I'm still wrapping up my thoughts on this and will update once I gather them!

I wanted to like “Between Before and After”. The characters were mildly interesting, but I found the plot a bit slow for me, and development lacking. The author writes quietly and thoughtfully; I particularly enjoyed Arthur (the grandfather) and Father Kearny. Both showed grit and gumption.

That being said, a few topics included were more mature than expected: premarital sex, abortion, and alcohol, plus a few swear words.

If you liked “Fire in Beulah” (Rilla Askew) or “Gilead” (Marilynne Robinson), you may enjoy this read.

I received a copy of the book from JustRead Publicity Tours. All opinions are my own.

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Between Before and After

by Maureen Doyle McQuerry

Blink


Historical Fiction , Teens & YA

Pub Date 05 Feb 2019







I am reviewing a copy of Between Before and After through Blink and Netgalley:



Molly is a fourteen year old in the mid 1950’s who worries about school and friends and her parents failed marriage. She is mostly worried about her Mothers depression and the carefully guarded secret Molly knows she is keeping. Her mother is a writer with an obsession for others people’s story, but when it comes to her own she is a poster child for surpressed emotions.



Molly spends her California Summers watching out for her younger brother Angus and tiptoeing around her Mother’s fragile and raw emotions. Molly needs her Mother’s in ways she never has before but Elaine shuts herself off from her family burying herself in the lives of the strangers she writes about. After her Uncle Stephen is pressed into limelight because of a miracle cure for a young man, Elaine is no longer able to hide behind other people’s stories. As Molly digs into her Mother’s past she finds a secret that reveals a family mystery dating back to 1918 New York.



This book is told in dual narratives, in two different times and places, but the narratives blend perfectly together making for a powerful read, one that holds on but doesn’t let go.



I give Between Before and After five out of five stars!





Happy Reading!

Between Before and After by Maureen Doyle McQuerry, while written for youth, is equally enjoyable by adult readers.

Fourteen year old Molly is a typical teenager concerned with many things, school, friends, and boys, but her biggest concern is her mother. Her mother, Eileen, is a writer and seemingly buried in writing but yet Molly knows she is drifting ever further away, at a time Molly needs her most. After her mother chops down the rose garden in their backyard, leaving it in complete shambles, Molly is determined to find out what secrets her mother carries. Finding the lock of hair hidden in her mother’s drawer, Molly becomes even more determined. Not only that she is certain that her Uncle Stephen knows much more than he lets on.

Between Before and After flips back and forth between the earlier 1900’s and the “current” 1955, Molly’s time. As Molly continues her search, the story of her mother’s life is told in heart-rending clarity. A story Molly searches for but will never fully comprehend and remains hidden from her, and readers, until almost the very end of the novel. Only one other person understands and knows what happened in Eileen’s life and Uncle Stephen isn’t telling.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and JustRead Publicity Tours, and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own.