The Story Keeper

I received a copy of this book for an honest review

Jen is excited about her new job at Vida House Publishing. She is looking to make an impression and thinks she has found the next best seller. There is a room they call "Slush Mountain that has old seemingly unwanted manuscripts . She has been told never to go to that room. Surprisingly one day laying on the edge of her desk, is a story in an envelope which just appeared out of thin air. As Jen beings to read the story, she is mesmerized by the writing. It does have an eerie likeness to the place she left a long time ago. How did this story from "Slush Mountain" get on her desk? What mysteries will it reveal ?

Jen knows in her hands is a story that must be published. She has convinced the publishing company that she needs to find the author who wrote this amazing story and get his permission to publish it. She finds herself thinking back to when she lived not far from where the story takes place. Jen never thought she would ever return to Blue Ridge Mountain, but she must travel there to find the elusive author of this story that has captured her heart . The story that has intrigued Jen is about a young girl named Sarah. It shows the struggles in the 1800s and how people had to deal with hunger and poverty. She gives us a strong character in Sarah that is determined to overcome her circumstances. Jen is a determined woman who must face her past as she sees similarities in the story she wants to publish and her own life. What will happen to Sarah? Can Jen embrace her past? Who is the author behind this story?

The book is well written and filled with a great background of the Appalachian people. I loved how the author draws her readers in with an uncanny realism of the characters. It is a story that takes you on a journey of survival and dealing with past memories. The writing is a treasure similar to a present that is unwrapped slowly to reveal a breathtaking gift. Lisa has given readers a book that will be hard to forget.

Master storyteller, Lisa Wingate returns with the continuation of her inspiring series with THE STORY KEEPER, (#2 Carolinas), as New York editor, Jen Gibbs uncovers a mysterious manuscript over twenty years old written by an unknown author, leading her back to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC, a place she thought she would never return.

Having read all the books in the series, set in North Carolina, from east to west, Wingate crafts a compelling read—a spellbinding story of generations, combining the past and present of two different stories, for questions answered with comfort and hope, a journey, an experience, the glory hours!

Jen Gibbs is getting on with her life, with her nice job as editor for a New York publishing house, after overcoming her dysfunctional family. When a manuscript over twenty years old turns up with no author, she is intrigued. She becomes immersed in the story of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped in the dangerous turn-of-the-century Appalachia. From time travel to undeniable pain, despair, prejudice and bigotry, love, sisters, family, and acceptance.

(Melungeon is a term traditionally applied to one of numerous "tri-racial isolate" groups of the Southeastern US. Historically, Melungeons were associated with the Cumberland Gap area of central Appalachia, which includes portions of East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and eastern Kentucky).

There are two stories, both which will grab you from Sarra’s story and Jen’s. What makes it very dramatic is Jen’s history as how she relates to the past. However, she never dreamed she would be drawn to the man, Evan who wrote the novel, or return to the area she spent years escaping. A secret place which holds many treasures, of beauty and tragedy.

A heartbreaking and emotional story of contemporary and historical fiction genres combined. Fans of Sarah Jio, Diane Chamberlain, Patti Callahan Henry, Karen White, and Mary Alice Monroe will enjoy the dual storyline of past and present.

As a native of NC, there is much beauty in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains (Western Carolina area, my favorite)--from the scenic highways, the waterfalls, hiking, history, and the mountains, especially in the fall—nothing better than a log cabin overlooking a stream, a rocking chair, a tin roof, a cup of coffee or tea, a quilt, the rain, and a great book!

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator, Abby Craden did a good job with the poverty stricken, and country southern dialect. The Story Keeper can be read as a standalone; however, I would recommend reading the entire series, beautiful and powerful! "The thing which underlines the best stories – HOPE!"

After reading my very first novel by Lisa Wingate, I became a forever fan of her work. I love that I often have the opportunity to review her novels but it is a certainty that I would purchase each and every one of them if I happened to miss receiving one for review. “The Story Keeper” is Lisa’s latest and greatest. I’m not 100% sure about the greatest because whatever book of hers that I happen to be reading is my current favorite. They are ALL so good that it is difficult for me to choose between them.

Books with Appalachian settings have always intrigued me so “The Story Keeper” came as a pleasant surprise. I loved the union of two stories in one that features an historic journal with a pivotal role in a contemporary story. The characters in both are so well-rounded that they began to feel like friends. The trials and tribulations of Sarra and Rand offered a peek into how difficult life could be in the mountains during that time frame. The bias against Melungeons was new to me and Sarra’s story inspired me to do a little research on them. It was quite easy to sympathize with Jen because I have a familiarity with similar family situations and know how difficult it can be to know where to draw the line when attempting to help.

I have always noticed how quotable Lisa’s novels can be and “The Story Keeper” is no exception. I wish I had taken the time to jot some of them down so I wouldn’t forget. Ahh…just another reason to go back and read it again! I really can’t say enough good things about this book. Everything about the story was spot on and I found it filled with history, romance, drama, a bit of mystery, inspiration, and faith. But most of all, Lisa has a way with words that always leaves me with something to think about after an enjoyable escape into her fictional world.

My only complaint is that Lisa just doesn’t write fast enough! Of course she is just human and I have to practice my patience. Can’t wait to see what she has for her readers next time.

This book was provided for review by Lisa Wingate’s Book Ambassadors.

Jennia Beth is an editor with a New York publishing house. There is a room at the Vida Publishing where the rejected manuscripts from the last twenty years have landed--called the "Slush Pile." Somehow one of the manuscripts lands from the Slush Pile lands on her desk and when she reads it, she feels compelled to find out who wrote it and find the author. After a bit of research she finds that the author is Evan Hall, a once-famous writer of the Time-Shifters series for young adults. He has since become reclusive because of all the hoopla his Time-Shifters novels and subsequent movies have created. Jen wants to push the manuscript for publication. In presenting the proposal to her boss, she finds she will be dispatched to North Carolina where Evan is and where Jen's family lives.

After she gets to North Carolina, she finds she is in the middle of one of the two Time-Shifters fairs held in the area. Jen meets Evan's Aunt Helen who tries to help Jen talk to Evan. When Evan finds out who she is and what she wants, he kicks her off his property. Jen and Evan can't help running into each other and every time they do, Jen wears him down a bit.

Within this novel is the novel of the Story Keeper--the story of Rand Champlain and Sarra, a Melungeon, and their travels in the Appalachian mountains.

Lisa Wingate has put together an engaging novel with all of the characteristics of a good story--compelling characters, a bit of mystery, a lot of family dynamics that speak of real life in a way that relates to every reader. While Jennia Beth is in North Carolina, she meets up with her sisters and her father for a bittersweet reunion.

I have read other Lisa Wingate novels but not with as much enjoyment. This book captivated me from the very beginning and it was easy to bounce between the story of Jen and Evan and the story of Rand and Sarra. If it weren't for the fact that my eyes were slamming shut on me last night, I would have finished the book yesterday in almost one sitting.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a story to pass down to your future generations.

“The Story Keeper” by Lisa Wingate takes us from the fast paced streets of New York to the slower paced life in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jen Gibbs was raised in the Blue Ridge Mountains but she always dreamed of something bigger. She went to college and then moved to New York and was for the most part cut off from her family. Some understood while others ridiculed her. She is starting a new job at Vida House Publishing and before she can even settle in a twenty years old manuscript shows up on her desk. She does not know who put it there and she does not know who the author is. What she does not is that it draws her in and leaves her longing for more. The story is of a young Melungeon girl named Sarra and her protector Rand. And the story is set not far from where Jen grew up. When she thinks she figures out who the author is her boss sends her down to the mountains in order to secure the book deal. The author, Evan, is a well known but reclusive man who wants nothing to do with Jen. Jen also must face her family while she’s there and she is left with a sense of hopelessness. Will Jen be able to mend fences and score the deal of a lifetime?

This is an amazing book that will draw you in to not only one story but two. We have the story of Jen and Evan in modern times then we have the story of Sarra and Rand from the late 1800s. We see how Jen and Evan must overcome fears in order to move on from the past and be happy with their lives. Sarra and Rand must overcome their fears of the unknown and learn how to trust and love even when the world seems to be against them. This book will keep you turning the pages until the end and leave you wishing for more. I received a complimentary copy of this book to review from Tyndale House Publishers.

Sometimes the past comes to claim us in ways we hadn’t planned on, especially if we try to bury that past so that no one in our present can find out just where we came from. It happened that way for Jen Gibbs, a professional editorial team member who landed a dream job at Vida House Publishing. In the past, she has worked with non-fiction manuscripts, and a twist of God’s hand working in her life lands her into what is presumed to be a fictional manuscript, the first three chapters of a story, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. A manuscript with a beautifully drawn cover page and titled The Story Keeper was left on her desk one day, thought to be part of the editorial Slush Pile that nobody was supposed to touch. Yet Jen felt compelled to see what it was, read it, until such time that she could slide it into the pile when nobody was around. One could almost feel the guilty pleasure of opening and reading the contents of the envelope.
Jen thinks she knows who – and where – the mystery author might be. The contents teased her into looking for the author, bringing it up to her supervisor who tells her to stop the pursuit and if she presents it to the owner, she does so at her own risk. The next thing she knows, Jen and her pup are on a plane back to North Carolina, where her roots were – but more importantly, where the potential author was. And everything she learns about the adversarial writer tells her to stop and go back to New York City. In spite of the ugly memories of her childhood and the bad attitude of the author, Jen just can’t let it go. Then she visits her sisters, additional chapters of The Story Keeper appear at the cabin she is renting, and she wishes she could believe in God as one of the characters in the book does, a loving God instead of the one she was taught about through her father’s church. Does this bring Jen to dream the dream of publishing the novel of a lifetime, or to pursue the desire to find the love that makes her life worth living?
The men, women and children in Lisa Wingate’s novel, The Story Keeper, step off the pages into my mind’s eye as if they are real. For the days that the story consumes me, they are real. One can see and hear each one, which is a testament of the gift of writing that the Lord has given to Ms. Wingate and the ability to reach into the heart and soul of a reader to seek the God she serves.
This is a magnificent, unforgettable novel of loss and redemption, of anger and rejection and the love of God. The prose is lyrical, at times wailing a dirge and at others exalting the wonders of God’s world. The characters are real, representing all of us who have secrets and wounds – and bringing those secrets and wounds into the light to find the love of the Lord. I highly recommend this novel – to be read, re-read, and shared with friends and loved ones.
With a grateful heart, I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

Lisa Wingate's latest novel, "The Story Keeper," is a masterpiece that should not be missed out on! Jen is a successful editor and she is thrilled to be beginning this new job; however she is unsure of what to do when an unfinished manuscript from the slush pile lands on her desk. Jen cannot stay away from the manuscript and as she begins to read she is transported back to her childhood home and life. As Jen tries to uncover the mystery and story that is being shared with her, she faces her own past as well.
This book is so rich is detail throughout the entire book that the Blue Ridge Mountains came alive to me and the various struggles that the characters face. However many of this issues are not different from ones that so many people deal with in the county that I live in; this made the book even more real to me and a gentle reminder of the everyday needs and struggles that so many face.
Lisa has a true talent for storytelling as this is a book that completely drew me into the story and in the characters' lives and it is a story that will forever stick with me. I was thrilled to have been a part of the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Book" and I was able to read this book in June. I was the second sister in my group and therefore I was able to read the comments that my "big sister" had written throughout the book which added another layer to the book. I am getting ready to reread my own copy of this book which I am sure I will be blessed once again.

I have read many of Lisa Wingates books and loved each one. She has a unique way of writing that make her books seem real with well developed characters and stories that take you into the story and you want to keep reading to find out how it ends. This is a story within a story present and past. Jen Gibbs is a top notch successful editor in New York. A manuscript mysteriously appears on her desk one day and she has no idea where it came from nor who the author is. Jen thought she had escaped her past life in Appalachia but is drawn into the story as she reads of a mixed race Appalachian woman named Sarra in the 1900's. To search for the rest of the manuscript and discover the author Jen is reluctant to go back home but he must. There is so much in this dual story. It is fantastic and will captivate you from the beginning. I highly recommend this book. It is a great read.

I received a free coy of this book from boookfun.org for my honest opinion and review.

Review posted by Donna McGinnis

Once again, Lisa Wingate magnifies great writing with a story to capture your heart and attention! Bravo! This book, a story that weaves the tales of Jen Gibbs and Evan Hall, is masterfully told as two stories blending into one. One you start reading, you won't want to put this one down!

As you turn each page, the description and feel of the book is evident as Jen seeks to find the writer of an old manuscript and isnt' aware that it belongs to Sarra, a mixed race young woman who had been trapped in the mountains in the 20th century. Jen thought she left that life behind long ago and travels back to open doors, old wounds and discover a pst she may not have been ready to face. This book has healing, hope and warms the heart!

My favorite quote in the book: "Even when we are lost, God has not lost us.”

I rec'd a copy of this book from Tyndale for an honest review and the positive review of this book is purely my own.

The Story Keeper

Lisa Wingate

Tyndale House Publishers, Inc

August 22, 2014

Back cover Description:

Successful New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing — until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk. Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the turn of the century Appalachia. A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper‘s hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she’d left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she’s willing to pay.

My Review:
Lisa Wingate sure know how to tell a story! This is not a story that is soon to be forgotten or easy to place back onto your bookshelves. I loved this book from beginning to finish and I was sad to see it end. I have read other books by Lisa Wingate and I have to say that this was the best one. I recommend that you get your hands on your own copy and disappear into the pages of The Story Keeper! You won’t be disappointed!

Happy Reading!

Disclosure:

I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Don't read this book unless you love a story that resonates long after you're finished. Unless you love a book to keep calling to you when you aren't reading. Unless you love characters who are broken but fighting for their place. Unless you love a setting so rich you could see every word. Unless you love a story that resonates.

Lisa Wingate is a masterful author and this book is probably my favorite yet. Jen is an editor trying to make it in NYC when a manuscript shows up on her desk. She is entranced by the words and story and must acquire it. The only problem is she has no idea who the author is and going after the book could cost her career. Even more it forces her to return home and confront how broken her family is. This is a rich story within a story, one that flows seemlessly back and forth. It is perfect for readers who love a contemporary with a mystery and almost hidden romance. This is a rich story of family and coming home.

I had to really think about my thoughts concerning this novel before actually writing my review. I have read quite a few of Lisa’s books and loved her Moses Lake series, but this one was a hard one for me to get into at first.

I loved Sarra and Rand’s story from the very beginning, but Jen’s was significantly harder for me to get into. It didn’t seem until over halfway through the book that was I actually liking her story and wanting to read it.

The little bit of romance in this story was perfect however! I also liked the concept of Slush Mountain and thought it fascinating.

The other thing I found very fascinating about “The Story Keeper” was the history of the Melungeons. Having lived in NC almost all my life I was very intrigued by who they supposedly were.

Overall, this was not my favorite story by Lisa, but I did begin to become very engaged in the story by the end. There was a good message concerning family and some great historical information.

I give this novel 3.5/4 stars out of 5 stars.

*(I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.)*

Until I read The Story Keeper, I had not ready any books by Ms. Wingate. She is a fantastic writer and I would definitely read more of her books.

The Story Keeper is a story about family, love, ancestry, forgiveness and success. It is about paying attention to where we came from and where we are headed. Ms. Wingate has a unique way with this book as it is really two stories woven into one.

Jen Gibbs is a writer at a large book firm. When she discovers a manuscript on her desk she is able to travel back to her home area in the mountains in an attempt to find the author and to find the end of the story. What she finds there are things she never expected—family, God, understanding of Appalachia history and more about who she is as a person.

Wonderful read. A hard book to put down. Masterful story line by Ms. Wingate.

The Story Keeper touched my heart in so many ways. It brought back memories of the stories my grandmother told when she was growing up. Some of the words are ones I heard from the generation that came after the Civil War. Lisa Wingate shows depth of characters and storylines. Whether you are a fan of historical of just a truly good story of the present you will love this book. You have two stories in one.

As Jen Gibbs changes jobs she is informed that the "slush pile" is NOT to be TOUCHED by ANYONE! Her first week there she finds a file on her desk when she goes to work. She recognizes it immediately from the "slush pile" because of the dust and the manuscript is typed, not a computer generated book. Only problem is that the manuscript is not complete. She can't get the book out of her mind. She finally goes to her supervisor. Then she has to tell the "big boss" that she found the folder on her desk with the book. He sends her to the Blue Ridge Mountains to find the author so they can publish the book. Only they want the rest of the book. Sorry, can't give you more without revealing too much of the story of Sarra (from The Story Keeper) and from Jen.

This book is one of those that will touch your heart and you won't want to put it down so that you can find out the rest of the story. I recently read my first novel by Lisa Wingate and I'm hooked on her books now.

I received this book through www.bookfun.org and the publisher to read this book and to leave an honest review. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to read a book that will touch your heart and your emotions. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did. I read the book in two days.

Another great read from Lisa Wingate. This was an enjoyable read that takes you from the city to a small rural hometown of woman who finds a mysterious manuscript on her desk one day. This story was hard to put down because I wanted to find out who the mysterious writer was. Jen Gibbs, the main character gets a job in the big city to escape from her childhood in the Blue Ride Mountains. Along the way of Jen finding out who wrote the mysterious transcripts, she meets some memorable characters and reunites with family from her past. Each character adds excitement to this twisting story.

I would recommend this book to all readers.

I look forward to reading the second book in this series in summer of 2015.
I received a copy of The Story Keeper from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.

If you are someone perusing the book titles and or authors, peruse no further. The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate is an amazing book. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a Big Sister in the "Sisterhood of the Traveling Book" for the upcoming book release of The Story Keeper. You might be wondering "What is the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book" and I will tell you. Last summer (The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate) and this summer (The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate) was sent to approximately 100 readers in 23 book clubs. These readers get a chance to read the book before it is officially released in September. I was chosen as the Big Sister of my book club #13, so I received the book first. You are able to write your thoughts right into the book, take the book with you and take pictures (which I did) and when you finish the book, you send it on to the next sister in your group. It makes it's way back to Lisa by August. The Story Keeper is about a successful New York editor, Jen Gibbs, who is working for a publishing house and finds a mysterious manuscript on her desk one day. She has just started this new position and is wondering what this is about. She knows that she probably shouldn't be reading this book but she does anyway (she is a woman!) Jen finds herself drawn into the life of a young Melungeon woman, named Sarra in the turn of the century Appalchian mountains. One of the reasons I was so excited to read this book was because I live in the Appalachian mountains. But as I read it, I became engrossed in the stories that are being told. Yes, the book goes back and forth between Jen's story and Sarra's story and I thought that might be an issue with me. However, it was definitely not!!! I wanted to find out what was going to happen to Sarra, along with Jen's story. Jen convinces her boss that she thinks she knows who the author is of this manuscript and she wants to go and talk with him. However, this is risky. If he is not the author, she may lose her job. In addition, Jen is from the area and she was raised in an unconvention and unhappy childhood. She is not sure if she should contact her family? Will she raise more problems than are already occuring, both in her life and in the supposed author's life? Will she lose her job? There is alot of emotion in this book and it smacks you right in your chest and you just want to read to the end! I am not sure how Lisa Wingate comes up with her story ideas, but surely God has blessed Lisa with a wonderful talent. Do not pass up this book! You won't regret a minute of it!

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate is a story within a story of sorts. The outside and primary story is about Jen Gibbs. She works for a publishing house when a mysterious manuscript appears. The story she reads compels her to find the author and the rest of the story taking her back to the home she always hoped to avoid. Within this story, is the tale of Sarra and Rand. Rand is from a well-to do family and he is searching for adventure. Sarra is a Melungeon. A mysterious race found in Appalachia and surrounded by folklore and myth. These two stories intertwine to tell a tale about overcoming our pasts and looking to the future.

Overall, I did enjoy this novel. The words flowed beautifully, and Lisa Wingate knows how to weave a compelling story and capture authentic characters. The world she created in which fans stormed an area of Appalachia due to a successful author sci-fi series is completely imaginable (these were some of my favorite scenes and descriptions). Each character seemed to have their own struggles in the novel and have to learn to help the others. There are many characters in this book that I would love to see how their lives continue.

Appalachia is a setting that I am growing to love. Whether it is historical or a contemporary story (The Story Keeper encompasses both), Appalachia is a unique locale offering vibrant characters and interesting stories. The Story Keeper incorporated both and intertwined them together quite well.

The one thing I didn’t enjoy as much about this was the pacing of the story and the way it jumped between the two stories. The transitions were smooth, but usually the novel would leave off on such a compelling spot in one story before switching to the other. I would find myself racing through Sarra and Rand’s story to find out what would happen next with Jen and vice versa. At times it made it difficult to just enjoy the story unfolding as I turned the page.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I have plans to read a few more novels by Lisa Wingate in the future, so keep an eye out for those.

**I received a free copy of this book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review**

Oftentimes we try hard to remove our past from our minds, but in, "The Story Keeper", that is exactly where the greatest blessings are uncovered. Our past is a part of who we are and that is one of the greatest trials the main character faces on her journey to move forward. She has tried to wipe away all traces of her accent that could give way to where she really came from.

I love how Lisa combines two stories together, weaving the past and the present. The story flows quite easily. Yes, we go from modern times and travel back in time to Appalachia. A place that seems to be it's own story keeper.

Sometimes novels will hit me right from the first pages, others the journey begins slowly. This is what happened in my experience in reading this newest gem from Lisa. That doesn't mean the journey wasn't worth it. Time travel to another place and time is a wonderful gift to the reader. We meet characters in the present as they uncover those of the past. Those characters we are gifted to follow from the past give us a portrait of love, protection, and overcoming every kind of obstacle that wants nothing more than to stop us in our tracts.

These words caught my heart and stayed with me throughout the story: "The trick, Jennia Beth Gibbs, is to turn your face to the glory hours as they come. The saddest thing in life is to see them only as they flit away."

I truly enjoyed this novel. But, I've always admired Lisa's work and how she allows the reader to meet the characters and travel their journey with them.

I love how the main character, Jen, finds the manuscript of, "The Story Keeper". A mystery begins to unfold. Piece by piece we learn more about Jen as she uncovers more about Sarra, a character she is captivated with.

The men in this novel are strong and brave. They hold a special kind of character that most admire, but never quite encapsulate in themselves. This is definitely a novel you will absorb with every ounce of free time you can gather.

This novel was a gift from Tyndale for sharing my review with you.

Rarely does a book that describes two lives, and two lifetimes, do both equally well. The Story Keeper is such a book! Jen has a career in book publishing, and a new position at Vida House. In a department meeting, a hint of her former NC accent is mentioned. Next, a forbidden manuscript mysteriously appears on Jen's desk, introducing us to the life of Sarra, a Melungeon mountain girl, in the late 1880's. Jen is drawn into Sarra's story, and the lives of both women are told in such a way, that I didn't want to put the book down!

Lisa Wingate, as always, is the best at bringing about modern day social and family issues, and mixing them with the past, to illustrate life's lessons and challenges. This book brings the reader through a beautiful tale of poverty, family, struggle, and their relevance in relationships today, just like in the past. he two women experience hardship, survival, and ultimately, forgiveness and love. It is also an excellent example of how ordinary people can do extraordinary things, despite the past, and what we perceive as being against us. Sometimes those things give us our greatest strength.

Does Jen step back into her past, in order to take a big risk for her future? Do the ones that helped both women along the way experience similar experiences? Is there a lesson in trust, acceptance, love, and forgiveness in here for all of us?

Mysteries don't always need to be solved, sometimes the lesson is in the discovery. As is true with family and relationships - this is a great book! You can't change people, or the past, but you can change the way you perceive it. Beautifully done!

I did receive an advance copy of the book, but have also purchased it for my kindle.

I am so glad that I got picked as one of the sisters in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book by Lisa. This book was every bit as good as the first book that I read by her (The Prayer Box). The fact that there was a story within a story in this book is an added bonus in my opinion. Jen is such a strong character in this book, she new she needed to leave home at a young age to get away from her past but with the drop of manuscript on her desk she finds the past is not as far away as it seemed. I enjoyed meeting some other characters along the way like sweet Hannanh - I found myself feeling sorry for her and Evan - who is not who he seems at the beginning. I did not care for Jen's dad or sister Mirah as they just did not seem nice to me but then again it is a whole different world where they live and how they choose to survive. There is a mystery in this book and some twists that kept me turning the pages long into the night. I must admit that I read a little over half of this book in one day and I don't do that often. I give this book 5 stars and would recommend it to everyone.

There are two stories within this book. The main character, Jen, who is an editor found a story laying on her desk that will haunt her and yet teach her about her own family, because she has a tendency to run away from them and her childhood upbringing. The people she comes in contact with, relative to the new story, and in addition to her own family, will bring her to a place where she gains what she had lost. . . her heart. She begins to see everything relative to her life from a new perspective.
There is a reason for everything, but we don’t always, and sometimes ever, see it. The lesson will be repeated until we get it right. However, in the end every one wins. This book as a bit of mystery, history, blessings and genealogy. Quite a mixture for an interesting and quite a family novel.

The series continues on with another wonderful book by Lisa Wingate, my favorite author. Lisa began the series with the book, The Sea Glass Sisters, followed by her book, The Prayer Box and then The Tidewater Sisters and now The Story Keeper. I highly recommend all of these books to any reader who enjoys being completely "lost in a book". Lisa has the ability to weave a story in a way where you become so totally engrossed in her books that you feel you are a part of the book itself and a silent bystander as the story takes place around you. I promise you, if you read The Story Keeper, you will want to read all the other books in this series. They all can be read as stand alone books, but you will want to find out more about the characters in these books and how Lisa weaves all the stories together. I can't wait to read her next book in the series!!! The Story Keeper is such a unique book, in that you are actually reading two stories at the same time, the story of Jen Gibbs, in the present and the story of Sarra and Rand in the past. Lisa writes such powerful books with strong female characters, who find strength and support from the other women in their lives. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to read and to all book clubs who love a great book that can provide a lively discussion.

Yes. I am a fan of Lisa Wingate. The Story Keeper contains all of the reasons Wingate is such a satisfying author. The story within a story is something she does so well. This tool brings her characters to life because they are discovering some event from the past that forces them to deal with the present and dredge up and work through some of their current struggles.

But even if Wingate didn't use this method in her fiction, I'm pretty sure she'd still write great characters. In this particular story the reader gets to meet Jen Gibbs. Jen has big dreams as an editor and finally has a toe in the door of a small but prestigious house. A portion of a manuscript shows up on Jen's desk one day and rocks her world. She starts chasing a bunny trail, but it leads somewhere she thought she'd left behind and bolted the door on. Facing her past, and scrambling to grasp her future she risks job, reputation and comfort to chase the story to the end.

You know. If you aren't reading books by Lisa Wingate, I just have to ask why not?

A story within a story, Lisa Wongate's The Story Keeper follows the adventure of a New York editor following a mysterious manuscript to its roots in the Blue Ridge mountains.

The novel weaves Jen's history growing up in the Blue Ridge together with the story of Sarra, a local legend all the way back to the person Jen thinks may have written it - renowned author Evan Hall. It's no easy task for her to try to contact the reclusive author, who retreated from public eye after his mega popular fantasy series developed a cult-like following. She also must confront some of her own uncomfortable memories. Her family is living in poverty, trapped in an endless cycle of overspending, under-educating, and being trapped by an oppressive religion.

The manuscript that Jen discovers appears in sections through the novel. As she reads the story, we read along with her. She was hooked immediately and very attached to the manuscript after only the first two chapters, but it wasn't until later in the book I began to appreciate it as much as the story being told around it.

This novel definitely worth reading for any book lover out there as its message is crucial: Everyone has a story. Someone just needs to care enough to share it.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Tyndale for this review. The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

I want to start off by saying that I wasn't sure if I would like this book since it is the first Christian Fiction book I've read. So needless to say I was a little hesitant. But MAN I couldn't put this book down!

This book is really two books in one, following people in two different centuries, but the author was flawless in her blending of the two. The more I read the more drawn into the world of all the characters, unable to stop reading because I had to know more or know what happened next. I felt for Jen and hearing about her childhood broke my heart.

If I have one complaint about this book it was the ending. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good ending and wrapped the major story line up. I guess I felt like there were some things not concluded for me. I’m hoping that there is another book or novella coming that continues Jess’s story because I want to know more about her life. I don’t want to say more and give anything away.

To conclude this review I think this is a great book with a great story. I know I’ll be picking up more of Lisa Wingate’s books.

This is really a story within a story. Jen works for a publisher in NYC and someone leaves a 20 year old book submission - or the first three chapters of one - on her desk. These chapters pull her in because they remind her of her childhood in North Carolina and the more she reads she realizes she recognizes the voice of the author. So she heads back to her hometown area to try to find out if she is right about the author and to convince him to publish the full story with her company.

Of course traveling back to her hometown area also includes revisiting her past. She visits her family and is forced to relive some very hard memories. She also meets some amazing new people too.

I enjoyed both Jen's story in the present and the manuscript she is reading. The manuscript was especially interesting because the main character, Sarra, is a Melungeon. I had never heard of these people and was fascinated by the idea of a tri-race. It saddened me to know that this group of people was so persecuted and abandoned.

Wingate tells some pretty amazing stories and is great with description. But stories within stories aren't my favorite type of book. I was glad that I enjoyed both stories separatey or I might have just skipped pages to read just one part of the book.

Tyndale provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Story Keeper is a story inside of a story - and I'm not normally big on those. Usually, I find myself really into one story and annoyed that the other one keeps interrupting. However, that's not the case with this book. Lisa Wingate masterfully wove the world of the past into present day as she intertwined the story of Sarah and Rand with the life of Jen Gibbs.

The art of the Story Keeper, to quote the author, is that what Ms. Wingate "wrote touched something human". The lives of both Sarah and Jen were real. They were people that, even though I can't say I've been where they were, I can still relate to their feelings. Ms. Wingate really made the characters come alive, and I enjoyed this book because I was able to "experience a bit of what [she] created" in her writing.

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate
Jennia Beth Gibbs left her home in the North Carolina mountains to the streets of New York City without looking back. Now she's just Jen Gibbs, editor. A week on her newest job a mysterious old manuscript shows up on her desk, she reads it and wants more. She wants this story. She finds herself heading back to the one place she never wanted to go. Home.

She's convinced the author of this twenty year old manuscript is the very man who wrote a popular book series and then hid himself from the world. And he's not an easy nut to crack. But her new job depends on his cooperation.

The story includes a secondary story, Rand and Sarra's. I love the way this author writes. It's more than a story, it's a tale of the way people live in the mountains. Their knowledge of nature, roots, herbs, etc. Kin helping kin. And in Sarra's story...prejudice. The two stories intertwined create a real page turner, just as in her book Wildwood Creek.
**Received from author for an honest review

I was so excited to be selected to read a pre-publication of Lisa Windgate's book the Story Keeper with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book. It is fun to connect with new friends all over the country who enjoy this wonderful author who's insights and ability to tell a story bring me to new understandings of life's issues. Her characters help lead you on a path to a more wholehearted life.
In the Story Keeper you soon learn that the main character has issues with her family and her relationship with them has become almost nonexistent. Jen's discovery of a partial manuscript takes her on a quest that lands her back where she was born and pushes her into reconnecting with her sisters.
The story inside of that story is a wonderful tale about a young mixed race girl who was connected to the land where Jennia Beth grew up.
The stories weave together throughout the book.
This is a great book to read and I recommend it highly.(less)Start with this one and see if you don't agree. Her stories are full of hope and blessings.

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate

I fell in love reading Tending Roses years ago and I have been enjoying Lisa Wingate's books since then! The Story Keeper was incredible. I couldn't wait to get back to reading the book in my spare time! Thank goodness for Labor Day Weekend! I spent most of my time curled up with this book and a cup of coffee. Other family members have been asking if they can read it when I am done. It has been passed on to the first person in line! My grandmother used to live in Hendersonville, NC. I have spent time in that area exploring and enjoying the beautify of the area. The book also talked a little about Charlotte, SC. Having lived close to Charlotte for a few years I enjoyed hearing about that area as well. We lived in Beaufort, SC and enjoyed the Gullah people in that area. So much fun to read her books and rekindle memories from years past. I appreciate the time Lisa takes to learn the history of the area and weave it into her books. The Story Keeper was a lovely story with history, mystery and family bonds. I love they way she brings faith into her books. The Story Keeper is a must read!

Lisa Wingate seems to be a pro at telling a story within a story. “The Story Keeper” is a delightful example of discovering a bit of history within a modern-day story.
I loved the line “I understood the lure of a good story. Sometimes a world that doesn’t exist is the only escape from the one that does.”
As an avid memoir fan, Lisa had me when her lead gal said, “The personal side of history had drawn me toward memoirs long before my first editing job.”
The characters were strong and well developed as the story progressed.
There are a few books that when I finish, I want to start it all over again and catch what I missed on the first read. This is one of those books.
Some of my favorite places I have ever visited have been up in the N.C. Mountains. I could just picture some of these gaps and hollers that enriched the story.
I received an advance reader copy with no requirement of a good review- I am delighted to give one.
Lisa Wingate is indeed a gifted “Story Teller.”

New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is a new hire at the prominent, Vida House Publishing, when a captivating manuscript appears on her desk--seemingly from the slush pile that is strictly off-limits. She is quickly drawn into the story, which takes place in the Appalachian Mountains--very near to the childhood home and family that she has intentionally moved away from. As she risks her career to chase the story, she is forced to also confront and reconcile with her own.

Initially I wasn't sure about The Story Keeper. The first few chapters were a bit slow, and I was not instantly engaged in the story-within-the-story, which appeared as full chapters of the manuscript. Around a third of the way through, though, I was hooked. The detail of the Appalachian terrain and people (especially the Melungeons) became fascinating to me; and the parallel stories touched my heart and drew me in.

There are so many likable elements: mystery, personal connections between relatable characters, the weaving of the past into the present and back to the past, and the indirect examination of what makes a great story. As the narrative concluded, I didn't want it to end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers.

I must say that this is the second time I checked this book out of the library. The first time I returned it before I read two many chapters - for some reason I could not get into it. Then when I unintentionally checked it out the second time, began reading it and felt like I had read it before, I decided to continue. How glad I am! It was a most heart-warming and informational avenue to a glimpse into another way of life that actually exists. I loved it and am so glad I decided to give it another try!

This was a wonderful book. I started it one evening and read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! The author intertwines two stories from different times, and keeps you hanging on the edge to see what happens. Lisa has a gift for character portrayal. Without an excess of words, she paints a picture of the characters that gives you a vivid understanding of them. This is not a standard love story, by any means. It is a book about finding peace, revisiting old pain, and rising above it. Lisa Wingate's books are faith-based without being preachy, and this one has an interesting twist by including a church that has a very male dominated, almost cult-like theology, and characters with strong reactions to it. This book has a great collection of nicely fleshed out characters, some interesting twists in the action, and a nice conclusion, but I really hope it is the beginning of a series. The cast of characters includes many who deserve their OWN stories, and I hope to read them.

I love the direction that this author has taken her writing! I didn't think she could get much better than <i>Wildwood Creek</i> but this story is even better. The blending of contemporary with history was engaging and drew me from the opening pages.

I enjoyed, and in some ways related to, the main character Jenn Gibbs. She had made her way out of a society where women were expected to marry young and have as many babies as possible. As she is drawn into a mysterious manuscript she finds herself facing her pass as well.

The story itself was excellent! I especially enjoyed learning about the Melungeon people and their struggles. The way the historical story was delivered added an extra level of intrigue. Jenn's story touched me in many ways. There were too many things in this story that were so good that I can't share them all.

There seems to be more and more stories that parallel contemporary with a historical aspect, and Lisa Wingate is one of the best. She educates as she entertains.

Disclaimer:The publisher, provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful story within a story.It begins with Jen at her new job in New York with a publishing company. An old unfinished manuscript mysteriously shows up on her desk and she knows it had to have come from the infamous slush pile. She can't resist and reads the manuscript titled "The Story Keeper" and becomes drawn to the characters Rand, a young man from Charleston exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains and Sarra, a young Melungeon girl of unknown heritage. Jen's search for the author of this manuscript takes her back to the home in the Appalachian Mountains she never planned to return to. She is determined to find the elusive author (Evan) and convince him to let her employer publish this manuscript. Her job depends on him agreeing to this. She is also forced to come face to face with her past. This story brings healing and forgiveness of past hurts and hope for the future of the characters that you will grow to care for.

Wow, just WOW!!! This book was a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting any of what happened in this book.
Jen comes across a manuscript in the slush pile of the new publishing company she is working for, she sneaks around reading it, and is drawn into the story of Sarra who is a Melungeon, a dark skinned, blue eyed girl who is being held captive by two men.
Not only was this a great read, I learned about the Melungeons, up until this book I had never heard of them.
I agree with Colleen Coble . . .this book touched me just like To Kill a Mockingbird. I was taken back to the summer of third grade when I read To Kill a Mockingbird. The Story Keeper will stay with me just like To Kill a Mockingbird has.

Very few books speak to me the way this one did. While reading this, I was sucked into the story. Well, both stories, actually. Lisa Wingate has a way of telling a tale that captures your attention and you feel like you are truly in that place and time.

I tried to come up with a favorite character but just couldn't do it. Each one is unique with such depth, especially Sarah and her family.

If you are looking for a novel that is told with emotion, grit and is beautifully written, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of The Story Keeper from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.

**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion**

This story takes Jane, the heroine, on a trek to find a reclusive author whom she thinks will save her job by getting the publishing rights and rest of the story which has fallen in her hands. This journey forces her to face her past in Appalachia, the person she's become, and finding the person she wants to be. Somewhere along the way, she finds peace, becomes a mother figure to a sister and a young girl, and finds the possibility of love for her future.

Unearthing secrets of Jane's past,and the past of others, and the trail of a story are interwoven in a beautifully told story by Lisa Wingate. This story touched my heart is so many ways.

Lisa Wingate's stories are always enjoyable to read. Her characters become friends and the world she creates feels seemingly familiar. Past and a present collide and intertwine with an emotional cord that the reader must continue to follow to the end.

The main character, Jen, is very likable and easy to identify with. I enjoyed the insight into the publishing world as an editor sees it. Her impulsion to find the author of the curious manuscript prompts the adventure.

The tug of Jen's personal life into her professional life will leave every reader revisiting some part of their family history. It calls one to action, not to merely be or continue to be indifferent to past or present heartaches, but to take part in the healing process, no matter the cost. It challenges the reader to be be involved, proactive, which is the reason I gave this book 5 stars.

Most read to escape, to enjoy, to learn. This book does it all, but it also serves as a call to engage in the world around you that you might otherwise ignore.

New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is a new hire at the prominent, Vida House Publishing, when a captivating manuscript appears on her desk--seemingly from the slush pile that is strictly off-limits. She is quickly drawn into the story, which takes place in the Appalachian Mountains--very near to the childhood home and family that she has intentionally moved away from. As she risks her career to chase the story, she is forced to also confront and reconcile with her own.

Initially I wasn't sure about The Story Keeper. The first few chapters were a bit slow, and I was not instantly engaged in the story-within-the-story, which appeared as full chapters of the manuscript. Around a third of the way through, though, I was hooked. The detail of the Appalachian terrain and people (especially the Melungeons) became fascinating to me; and the parallel stories touched my heart and drew me in.

There are so many likable elements: mystery, personal connections between relatable characters, the weaving of the past into the present and back to the past, and the indirect examination of what makes a great story. As the narrative concluded, I didn't want it to end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers.

I must say that this is the second time I checked this book out of the library. The first time I returned it before I read two many chapters - for some reason I could not get into it. Then when I unintentionally checked it out the second time, began reading it and felt like I had read it before, I decided to continue. How glad I am! It was a most heart-warming and informational avenue to a glimpse into another way of life that actually exists. I loved it and am so glad I decided to give it another try!

This was a wonderful book. I started it one evening and read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down! The author intertwines two stories from different times, and keeps you hanging on the edge to see what happens. Lisa has a gift for character portrayal. Without an excess of words, she paints a picture of the characters that gives you a vivid understanding of them. This is not a standard love story, by any means. It is a book about finding peace, revisiting old pain, and rising above it. Lisa Wingate's books are faith-based without being preachy, and this one has an interesting twist by including a church that has a very male dominated, almost cult-like theology, and characters with strong reactions to it. This book has a great collection of nicely fleshed out characters, some interesting twists in the action, and a nice conclusion, but I really hope it is the beginning of a series. The cast of characters includes many who deserve their OWN stories, and I hope to read them.

As the keeper of our family stories, I was intrigued by the title of this book and couldn't wait for its release so I could devour another book by my favorite author Lisa Wingate. She never disappoints when it comes to weaving a story that feels so real that you feel like you know the characters personally. She is an amazing author and I highly recommend all of her books. The Story Keeper weaves three stories within one and each one draws you into the mystery of the lives of the characters. First there is the 20 year old manuscript that lands on editor, Jenn Gibb's desk from a forbidden slush pile which touches her deeply enough to go out on a limb to follow a hunch as to the possible author of the book. Her search carries her back near her childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains and memories that she'd tried hard to forget. Jenn's story along with that of author Evan Hall are woven along with the story contained in the manuscript and each will leave you engaged in the book from start to finish trying to solve the mystery of the manuscript. I'm hoping Lisa will do more books with these characters since it was so hard to say goodbye to them at the end of the story.

I love the direction that this author has taken her writing! I didn't think she could get much better than <i>Wildwood Creek</i> but this story is even better. The blending of contemporary with history was engaging and drew me from the opening pages.

I enjoyed, and in some ways related to, the main character Jenn Gibbs. She had made her way out of a society where women were expected to marry young and have as many babies as possible. As she is drawn into a mysterious manuscript she finds herself facing her pass as well.

The story itself was excellent! I especially enjoyed learning about the Melungeon people and their struggles. The way the historical story was delivered added an extra level of intrigue. Jenn's story touched me in many ways. There were too many things in this story that were so good that I can't share them all.

There seems to be more and more stories that parallel contemporary with a historical aspect, and Lisa Wingate is one of the best. She educates as she entertains.

Disclaimer:The publisher, provided this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautiful story within a story.It begins with Jen at her new job in New York with a publishing company. An old unfinished manuscript mysteriously shows up on her desk and she knows it had to have come from the infamous slush pile. She can't resist and reads the manuscript titled "The Story Keeper" and becomes drawn to the characters Rand, a young man from Charleston exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains and Sarra, a young Melungeon girl of unknown heritage. Jen's search for the author of this manuscript takes her back to the home in the Appalachian Mountains she never planned to return to. She is determined to find the elusive author (Evan) and convince him to let her employer publish this manuscript. Her job depends on him agreeing to this. She is also forced to come face to face with her past. This story brings healing and forgiveness of past hurts and hope for the future of the characters that you will grow to care for.

Wow, just WOW!!! This book was a pleasant surprise. I was not expecting any of what happened in this book.
Jen comes across a manuscript in the slush pile of the new publishing company she is working for, she sneaks around reading it, and is drawn into the story of Sarra who is a Melungeon, a dark skinned, blue eyed girl who is being held captive by two men.
Not only was this a great read, I learned about the Melungeons, up until this book I had never heard of them.
I agree with Colleen Coble . . .this book touched me just like To Kill a Mockingbird. I was taken back to the summer of third grade when I read To Kill a Mockingbird. The Story Keeper will stay with me just like To Kill a Mockingbird has.

Very few books speak to me the way this one did. While reading this, I was sucked into the story. Well, both stories, actually. Lisa Wingate has a way of telling a tale that captures your attention and you feel like you are truly in that place and time.

I tried to come up with a favorite character but just couldn't do it. Each one is unique with such depth, especially Sarah and her family.

If you are looking for a novel that is told with emotion, grit and is beautifully written, this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of The Story Keeper from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate was an amazing, wonderful read. This one is going into my top ten for the year. There is so much to savor with this tale. The characters I connected with, the mystery compelled me to continue reading, and the historical information was all new to me and inspired me to also do some of my own research. This story was like a puzzle, there were a lot of pieces but as they were put together it made for a beautiful picture. We have Jen Gibbs who lives in New York and has just started her dream job as an editor at Vida House Publishing. Within her first couple of weeks she finds a mysterious manuscript on her desk. Not knowing who gave her the story that looks like it has been taken from the forbidden slush pile, she decides to go ahead and start reading it. Not only is Jen sucked into the story and its powerful characters, but we as readers are also reading that same story and being pulled in. So along with Jen, we journey to discover who wrote this and to determine if this could be the next big seller. Along the way, Jen has to start from where she grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains and face her own past that she has been trying to forget. I have not yet read another author who can so masterfully link up the past and the present in a profound and thoughtful way. I received a copy for review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion**

This story takes Jane, the heroine, on a trek to find a reclusive author whom she thinks will save her job by getting the publishing rights and rest of the story which has fallen in her hands. This journey forces her to face her past in Appalachia, the person she's become, and finding the person she wants to be. Somewhere along the way, she finds peace, becomes a mother figure to a sister and a young girl, and finds the possibility of love for her future.

Unearthing secrets of Jane's past,and the past of others, and the trail of a story are interwoven in a beautifully told story by Lisa Wingate. This story touched my heart is so many ways.

Lisa Wingate's stories are always enjoyable to read. Her characters become friends and the world she creates feels seemingly familiar. Past and a present collide and intertwine with an emotional cord that the reader must continue to follow to the end.

The main character, Jen, is very likable and easy to identify with. I enjoyed the insight into the publishing world as an editor sees it. Her impulsion to find the author of the curious manuscript prompts the adventure.

The tug of Jen's personal life into her professional life will leave every reader revisiting some part of their family history. It calls one to action, not to merely be or continue to be indifferent to past or present heartaches, but to take part in the healing process, no matter the cost. It challenges the reader to be be involved, proactive, which is the reason I gave this book 5 stars.

Most read to escape, to enjoy, to learn. This book does it all, but it also serves as a call to engage in the world around you that you might otherwise ignore.

Awesome book! I really enjoyed the development of Jen, a modern young New York editor, and the weaving of two stories – hers and that of Sarra, a young Appalachian girl 100 years earlier.

Jen is the newest editor at a publishing house when an old, authorless, partial manuscript lands on her desk. She is drawn into the story of Sarra and wants to find the author and get it published. She embarks on a search – which leads her back to the roots she tried so hard to leave. Will she find her mystery author? Will she reconcile with her backwoods family?

I thought this book was great and recommend it.

Jen Gibbs, a successful editor accepts a job a publishing house in New York City. One day a mysterious manuscript appears on her desk from the slush pile in the office. As she starts reading the manuscript, she is slowly drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the Appalachia Mountains.
After reading the book, I now fully understand some of the issues that the people who live there today deal with on a day to day basis, like poverty and isolation. I read many books this summer and this one stands out as one of the BEST!! I am an avid reader and can go through three to four books a week. Can't wait till Lisa publishes her next book.

In The Story Keeper, you’ll find two stories in one, and the way they tie together is a feat I imagine only Lisa Wingate can pull off. I’d actually like to go back and reread The Story Keeper to pick out more of the connections, now that I’ve seen the whole story unfold. My favorite parts were the descriptions of Jen’s interactions with her family, especially her sisters. The high tension of these felt spot-on, and I’ve never seen Lisa Wingate write with such a unique and powerful voice.

Jen’s interaction with Evan seemed a bit slow to get off the ground, but their ending rang true. Speaking of endings, this is one of the most interesting I’ve seen in recent reads, with all the myriad threads tied into satisfying knots.

Altogether, The Story Keeper is another winsome, enriching and entertaining read from Lisa Wingate.

Thanks to Tyndale House for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

THE STORY KEEPER is pure Lisa Wingate. Within pages of starting the book I was fully connected with Jen—and then when she started reading the old slush pile manuscript, I couldn’t help but feel for Sarra.

My daughter, reading over my shoulder while I waited in line somewhere, commented, there’s a lot of bad grammar in this book. I told her that Ms. Wingate writes the way the character talks, thinks. Pure point of view.

Both storylines are written in first person, which doesn’t bother me but may detour some readers. If you like women’s fiction, you will absolutely love THE STORY KEEPER. Highly recommended.

Jennia Beth Gibbs (Jen) an employee of Vida House Publishing enters her office one morning to discover a manuscript from George Vida's slush pile on her desk and wonders how it arrived there since no one touches Mr. Vida's slush pile he considers a masterpiece of rejected manuscripts. Jen contemplates ways to return the manuscript to its original location but reconsiders opening the envelope and begins reading The Storykeeper.

The Storykeeper follows Sarra who is a teenage girl left behind by her father with a man named Brown Drigger who sent Sarra's father with money to exchange for goods promising his return to collect his daughter after the business transaction.

Jen's home life consists of a breakup with boyfriend Brian who leaves a Chihuahua mix dog behind that Jen names Friday because arguments with Brian always ended with "Okay, but just until Friday."

George Vida sends Jen to North Carolina on assignment to seek the true author of The Storykeeper after Jen discloses how the manuscript came into her possession and whether renowned reclusive author Evan Hall is the originator. Several events occur in North Carolina gives Jen second thoughts to return home to New York but keep her there after more chapters of the manuscript mysteriously appear in the cabin she rents during her stay.

This novel is an interesting story-within-a-story however, it was hard reading the second story as it is written with a broken English dialect resulting in an unexpected slower reading pace. Nevertheless, there is a short history lesson on the Melungeon culture within the story line and further discussion pertaining to their mysterious origin on the Note from the Author page. This novel will appeal to history buffs, historical fiction, and light historical romance readers alike.

I received this book free from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for an honest opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

I highly recommend the Story Keeper! Jen Gibbs is an young editor chasing THE story. This was two stories in one. One of the past and one in the present. Jen Gibbs grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains and I enjoyed how she took me back to her home and what life she had before she escaped to New York City to become an editor for a publishing company. The descriptive scenery, life style and people were wonderful. I was wishing there was more when I turned the last page.
I was gifted a copy by the Book Club Network (bookfun.org) for my opinion.

The Story Keeper is actually two stories. One set in 1890 and the other in present day.
The present day story is of Jen, an editor recently moved to a new company and changing from nonfiction to fiction. She is given a manuscript that has been removed from the slush pile of rejected submissions. Only the first part of the story is in the envelope and the combination of the story and the fact that it takes place in the area where she grew up causes her to return to her former home area to search for the author and the rest of the story.
The second story is about a young mixed race woman who has been left by her father with a man he owes money. She escapes when she hear this man planning to trade her to men he knows will abuse her. She is on the run and is rescued by a young man on a “scientific wander” before he has to settle down. Now both of them are running from the men who want to kill him and abuse her.
The book moves back and forth between the two stories as each woman struggles with her physical journey and her mental/emotional struggles.
I received this book as part of a pre-release reading team. I have given it 4 stars and would give it another half star if the system allowed. The only thing keeping from being 5 stars for me is the difficulty I had some of the time knowing when we were changing stories. That said, it is an excellent read.

Another winner from Lisa Wingate.
When an old unfinished manuscript mysteriously appears on Jen Gibbs desk, she goes on a search of it's writer. The journey takes her into the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place she wants to forget. It is a journey of self-examination, mystery and rediscovery. It is so well written that it makes you feel like you are part of the story. There are so many quotes that stir your memory into a whirlwind or emotions and thoughts that cause you to want to travel to those unexposed areas of your life you thought you would never visit again.

I loved it! It brought me into an awareness of the importance of legacy and keeping stories from the past alive. It also reminded me that our past made us into who we are and should never be left in the dark, but exposed so that others can better understand
us and so we can move forward as we grow into the person God wants us to be.

This story left me wanting more and I am sure that there will be a sequel because some stories were left untold.....bring it on Lisa!

The Story Keeper is another awesome book by Lisa Wingate. I have enjoyed every book I have read so far and this one did not disappoint. It is basically two stories in one. One from the past and one in the present. Lisa is able to portray families in their true form. Jenn is a mountain girl who goes to New York to become an editor. She goes after THE STORY and ends up back home. She is there to research a paper about the Appalachian Mountains and it's people. The author portrays family's and their uniqueness. The problems present in all families along with true family dynamics were illustrated.
I received this book from the Book Club Network in exchange for my honest opinion.

First let me say that I am a HUGE fan of Lisa Wingate. She is one of my top favorite authors right now. This however was not my favorite book by her. This got great, rave reviews on the store - so I obviously was missing something.

The problems for me - This was very slow for me until about half way through but by then it was too late I was already not interested. This was a book within a book and I am not a fan of that style. I have read others and I didn't care for them either. Also there was the past, so really 3 stories? Too much for me. I think Lisa was trying to get "deep" and more complicated. The problem for me is that I like them simple! I love her old simple Christian love stories. I don't need something complicated and deep.

I liked the main character. The character development was good but I didn't really "feel" anything for her. The story within a story - I didn't like the characters at all.

I didn't hate this book - I did keep reading but it was far from my favorite. I love Lisa as an author and definitely will keep reading her books.
They say don't judge a book by its cover. Well - don't judge this book by my review! There are lots of people who loved it!

Thank you Tyndale for sending me this book for my honest review!

Lisa has once again done a wonderful job of combining mystery, romance, social issues and history into a powerful book. Her writing style whisks you away into the characters’ lives and challenges. I’ve read all Lisa’s books and have yet to find one I did not fall completely into.

Having grown up in the NY/NJ area, I could picture Jen Gibbs’ life in the big city, but I have never been to Appalachia or the Blue Ridge Mountain area, so I feel like I have learned a bit about life in that area.

Thank you again Lisa for another wonderful story. I’m already looking forward to a sequel.

I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

"The Story Keeper" is another great read by Lisa Wingate. The double story line keeps you glued to the book...anxiously waiting to see how the stories reach a resolution. Lisa's mastery of language makes reading a sheer pleasure. She speaks with the true voice of the people of Appalachia. She creates believable characters with compassion for the suffering that besets them. She helps us see into the cruelties within our society, and makes us empathize with those who are mistreated. She teaches us, not only about the past, but also about ourselves. I heartily recommend this, and all of Lisa's books!

I discovered Lisa Wingate thru Bookbub and now have added her to my list of favorite authors. She has also stirred me to do more research on the Melungeons because we discovered we may have some ancestors from this group. Thank you Lisa for such great writing.

Lisa Wingate has presented a wonderfully crafted view of life in the Blue Ridge Mountains in this book. It is a masterful blending of the past and the present. It is also a talented blending of a story within a story.
Lisa has truly topped her previous stories with this one. I highly recommend this book, especially for those who are interested in reading an open honest book set in the south.
I read this book as part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book.

Once again Lisa Wingate has written a beautiful story entwined with another story...she does it so well! The Story Keeper is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in NC and is tangled with the story of an editor from New York. Jen Gibbs happens upon a story set in the same mountains that she was raised in and escaped from. While exploring the story background, she also confronts her past and present relationship with her family that she left behind.
Lisa Wingate is so great at bringing in spiritual truths into her stories, and I always come away with a new perspective after reading her books. Awesome read...as usual!

This is probably my favorite Lisa Wingate book, I love the setting, the characters, the storyline. As I read page after page I could visualize each scene. I would love to dig into that slush-pile and read till my heart's content!

Right after Jen begins a new job with a top publisher in New York City an old manuscript appears on her desk. Knowing this came from the slush-pile that everyone is warned not to touch she isn't sure what to do at first but curiosity overcomes and she reads it which leads her into an exciting but sometimes frustrating search for the author and right back to the place she never wanted to return.

Difficult subjects are handled, we meet Jen's annoying (sometimes maddening) family and of course the author of the manuscript. Amazing story, superbly written.

I read this book through Lisa's "Sisterhood of the Traveling Book".

As someone who grew up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, I was hooked as soon as I read the editors description of this one! Not that I needed a reason to read a Lisa Wingate book! I have read everything written by this author, beginning with the award winning Tending Roses Series, and have never been disappointed.
Each time I finish one of Lisa Wingate's books, I begin looking forward to the next! She is, in my opinion, a master story-teller.
Don't hesitate to buy this book! It's great!

Listened to this book on audio. It is amazing. I am originally from the NC mountains and understand the pride and the ways of the mountain people since I am one myself. Each character is clearly defined -- I have a favorite character, I don't think I would be giving anything away if I say that she is Sara. Not sure I'm spelling that correctly since I've listened instead of reading. Throughout the book, I feel that I am being drawn to God. I don't feel I can say a lot about the book itself because I might give something away, but it's awesome. And there's substance to it.

Being selected for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books this year allowed me to preview Lisa Wingate's soon to be released latest masterpiece. The Story Keeper follows Lisa's writing technique to the letter ~ the reader is immediately captivated by a compelling storyline complete with historical ties and life lessons for all. Within just a few pages the reader feels one with the characters and dismay as the book draws to a close and you realize your time with them is nearing an end. A must read for all!!

The Story Keeper is an enchanting tale of past and present! The captivating storyline swept me away to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the compelling characters lingered in my mind long after the last page had been turned. A fascinating story of history, mystery, and romance, The Story Keeper is a journey that is not to be missed!

I was privileged to read a prepublication copy of The Story Keeper through the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I was able to preview this book before it was released and all I can say is WOW!! This book was simply amazing! I have truly fallen in love with all of Lisa Wingate's characters. This one touches home as I have recently been able to ready through my Grandmothers old letters and story's. You will get lost in the wonderful world of Sarra's life and connect in so many ways to the story!

SO, worth the read! ~Krafty Max

Lisa Wingate never fails to provide an entertaining tale. Her latest offering, The Story Keeper, goes one better by providing a story within a story, both equally compelling. With each chapter, I was drawn further into the past and Sarra’s tragic, tortured flight toward freedom. In the present, it was Jen and her sad, twisted childhood that kept me turning pages. Together, The Story Keeper made for an engaging and bittersweet tale of triumph over past hurts and hope for a brighter future.

THE STORY KEEPER
BY
LISA WINGATE
ABOUT BOOK
Successful New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing -- until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk. Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the turn of the century Appalachia. A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper's hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she'd left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she's willing to pay.

MY REVIEW
I have been blessed to have read other books by Lisa!!! This one was okay but I struggled with the story bouncing back and forth. I was more interested in the story about Jen than I was with Rand and Sarra. I would get somewhat confused because of the transitions, even though they were smooth. I would find myself racing through Sarra and Rand’s story to find out what would happen next with Jen. At times it made it difficult to just enjoy the story unfolding as I turned the page.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy more than one story that are blended in one book.
Lord, I pray that You will bless Lisa and continue to use her to share Your love with all those she meets. In Jesus Name Amen

ABOUT AUTHOR
Lisa Wingate is a former journalist, inspirational speaker, and the author of over twenty mainstream fiction novels, including the national bestseller, Tending Roses, now in its nineteenth printing. She is a seven-time ACFW Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her novels are known for taking on gritty subjects while offering redemptive and uplifting themes. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life. More information about Lisa's novels can be found at www.Lisawingate.com or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/LisaWingateAuthorPage?fref=ts
IN THE WRITER'S OWN WORDS: A special first grade teacher, Mrs. Krackhardt, made a writer out of me. That may sound unlikely, but it's true. It's possible to find a calling when you're still in pigtails and Mary Jane shoes, and to know it's your calling. I was halfway through the first grade when I landed in Mrs. Krackhardt's classroom. I was fairly convinced there wasn't anything all that special about me... and then, Mrs. Krackhardt stood over my desk and read a story I was writing. She said things like, "This is a great story! I wonder what happens next?" It isn't every day a shy new kid gets that kind of attention. I rushed to finish the story, and when I wrote the last word, the teacher took the pages, straightened them on the desk, looked at me over the top, and said, "You are a wonderful writer!" A dream was born. Over the years, other dreams bloomed and died tragic, untimely deaths. I planned to become an Olympic gymnast or win the National Finals Rodeo, but there was this matter of back flips on the balance beam and these parents who stubbornly refused to buy me a pony. Yet the writer dream remained. I always believed I could do it because... well... my first grade teacher told me so, and first grade teachers don't lie. So, that is my story, and if you are a teacher, or know a teacher, or ever loved a special teacher, I salute you from afar and wish you days be filled with stories worth telling and stories worth reading.

I received this book from the author in return of my honest review.

When first reading The Story keeper, I wasn't sure I would like it. I won the book through a contest, therefore I did read it and am glad I did. It was very interesting how an editor started a new job and found an old partial manuscript on her desk that took place near where she grew up. The weaving of the story and the editor's experience set the tone for a delightful book, one hard to put down. I hope there's a sequel...I want to know more about Jen and Evan.

I had never read anything by Lisa Wingate before, but after reading “The Story Keeper” I definitely going to look into more of her works. Wingate has such a talent of telling a story that grabs the attention of the reader at the start and keeping it the whole way through. An interesting aspect of “The Story Keeper” is that it tells the story of Jen Gibbs, but also contains the story of Sarra in the form of the mysterious manuscript that shows up on her desk. The alternating chapters between Jen’s story and Sarra’s is probably my favorite part of the novel as a reader you can see the development of not just one, but two characters and stories.

I am giving “The Story Keeper” by LIsa Wingate 5/5 stars. Wingate was able to tell such an interesting story that kept me wanting more and more. I can’t wait to read more of her works.

The Story Keeper mesmerizes the reader with wonderful passages and a great plot. Lisa Wingate creates characters that live within each of us--people behind window panes waiting to be loved. Often times I wanted the book to slow down and stay in one chapter longer; I hope that will lead to more books about these characters. To me the plot was better than the Prayer Box, which I loved. After reading an advance copy, I can't wait to get the Audible book.

Editor Jen Gibbs has a new job at a New York publishing house when a mysterious manuscript shows up on her desk. She goes to North Carolina to find the author and the rest of the story.

I thought this was an interesting book. The main storyline of Jen looking for the author is woven in with the twentieth century story she is reading. The book was well written and had a satisfying conclusion.

This would have rated five stars from me but I felt that the ending was rushed and several aspects of the story were left up in the air--or unfinished. The intriguing history and life style of that part of the Appalachian Mountains was well done. I really don't like it when authors leave details unfinished!

I so enjoyed both stories in this book. A New York book editor is handed a story that she needs to find the author of. She has many troubles but ends up back in the Appalachian mountains. She grew up here but was happy to leave. This time trying to find the author of the story helps her to get over her troubles that she had whoile growing up. I received this book from book fun.org for a fair and honest opinion.

Listened to this book on audio. It is amazing. I am originally from the NC mountains and understand the pride and the ways of the mountain people since I am one myself. Each character is clearly defined -- I have a favorite character, I don't think I would be giving anything away if I say that she is Sara. Not sure I'm spelling that correctly since I've listened instead of reading. Throughout the book, I feel that I am being drawn to God. I don't feel I can say a lot about the book itself because I might give something away, but it's awesome. And there's substance to it.

Being selected for the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books this year allowed me to preview Lisa Wingate's soon to be released latest masterpiece. The Story Keeper follows Lisa's writing technique to the letter ~ the reader is immediately captivated by a compelling storyline complete with historical ties and life lessons for all. Within just a few pages the reader feels one with the characters and dismay as the book draws to a close and you realize your time with them is nearing an end. A must read for all!!

The Story Keeper is an enchanting tale of past and present! The captivating storyline swept me away to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the compelling characters lingered in my mind long after the last page had been turned. A fascinating story of history, mystery, and romance, The Story Keeper is a journey that is not to be missed!

I was privileged to read a prepublication copy of The Story Keeper through the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I was able to preview this book before it was released and all I can say is WOW!! This book was simply amazing! I have truly fallen in love with all of Lisa Wingate's characters. This one touches home as I have recently been able to ready through my Grandmothers old letters and story's. You will get lost in the wonderful world of Sarra's life and connect in so many ways to the story!

SO, worth the read! ~Krafty Max

Lisa Wingate never fails to provide an entertaining tale. Her latest offering, The Story Keeper, goes one better by providing a story within a story, both equally compelling. With each chapter, I was drawn further into the past and Sarra’s tragic, tortured flight toward freedom. In the present, it was Jen and her sad, twisted childhood that kept me turning pages. Together, The Story Keeper made for an engaging and bittersweet tale of triumph over past hurts and hope for a brighter future.

THE STORY KEEPER
BY
LISA WINGATE
ABOUT BOOK
Successful New York editor, Jen Gibbs, is at the top of her game with her new position at Vida House Publishing -- until a mysterious manuscript from an old slush pile appears on her desk. Turning the pages, Jen finds herself drawn into the life of Sarra, a mixed-race Melungeon girl trapped by dangerous men in the turn of the century Appalachia. A risky hunch may lead to The Story Keeper's hidden origins and its unknown author, but when the trail turns toward the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a place Jen thought she'd left behind forever, the price of a blockbuster next book deal may be higher than she's willing to pay.

MY REVIEW
I have been blessed to have read other books by Lisa!!! This one was okay but I struggled with the story bouncing back and forth. I was more interested in the story about Jen than I was with Rand and Sarra. I would get somewhat confused because of the transitions, even though they were smooth. I would find myself racing through Sarra and Rand’s story to find out what would happen next with Jen. At times it made it difficult to just enjoy the story unfolding as I turned the page.
I would recommend this book to those who enjoy more than one story that are blended in one book.
Lord, I pray that You will bless Lisa and continue to use her to share Your love with all those she meets. In Jesus Name Amen

ABOUT AUTHOR
Lisa Wingate is a former journalist, inspirational speaker, and the author of over twenty mainstream fiction novels, including the national bestseller, Tending Roses, now in its nineteenth printing. She is a seven-time ACFW Carol award nominee, a Christy Award nominee, an Oklahoma Book Award finalist, and a two-time Carol Award winner. Her novels are known for taking on gritty subjects while offering redemptive and uplifting themes. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others, as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life. More information about Lisa's novels can be found at www.Lisawingate.com or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/LisaWingateAuthorPage?fref=ts
IN THE WRITER'S OWN WORDS: A special first grade teacher, Mrs. Krackhardt, made a writer out of me. That may sound unlikely, but it's true. It's possible to find a calling when you're still in pigtails and Mary Jane shoes, and to know it's your calling. I was halfway through the first grade when I landed in Mrs. Krackhardt's classroom. I was fairly convinced there wasn't anything all that special about me... and then, Mrs. Krackhardt stood over my desk and read a story I was writing. She said things like, "This is a great story! I wonder what happens next?" It isn't every day a shy new kid gets that kind of attention. I rushed to finish the story, and when I wrote the last word, the teacher took the pages, straightened them on the desk, looked at me over the top, and said, "You are a wonderful writer!" A dream was born. Over the years, other dreams bloomed and died tragic, untimely deaths. I planned to become an Olympic gymnast or win the National Finals Rodeo, but there was this matter of back flips on the balance beam and these parents who stubbornly refused to buy me a pony. Yet the writer dream remained. I always believed I could do it because... well... my first grade teacher told me so, and first grade teachers don't lie. So, that is my story, and if you are a teacher, or know a teacher, or ever loved a special teacher, I salute you from afar and wish you days be filled with stories worth telling and stories worth reading.

I received this book from the author in return of my honest review.

When first reading The Story keeper, I wasn't sure I would like it. I won the book through a contest, therefore I did read it and am glad I did. It was very interesting how an editor started a new job and found an old partial manuscript on her desk that took place near where she grew up. The weaving of the story and the editor's experience set the tone for a delightful book, one hard to put down. I hope there's a sequel...I want to know more about Jen and Evan.

I had never read anything by Lisa Wingate before, but after reading “The Story Keeper” I definitely going to look into more of her works. Wingate has such a talent of telling a story that grabs the attention of the reader at the start and keeping it the whole way through. An interesting aspect of “The Story Keeper” is that it tells the story of Jen Gibbs, but also contains the story of Sarra in the form of the mysterious manuscript that shows up on her desk. The alternating chapters between Jen’s story and Sarra’s is probably my favorite part of the novel as a reader you can see the development of not just one, but two characters and stories.

I am giving “The Story Keeper” by LIsa Wingate 5/5 stars. Wingate was able to tell such an interesting story that kept me wanting more and more. I can’t wait to read more of her works.

The Story Keeper mesmerizes the reader with wonderful passages and a great plot. Lisa Wingate creates characters that live within each of us--people behind window panes waiting to be loved. Often times I wanted the book to slow down and stay in one chapter longer; I hope that will lead to more books about these characters. To me the plot was better than the Prayer Box, which I loved. After reading an advance copy, I can't wait to get the Audible book.

Editor Jen Gibbs has a new job at a New York publishing house when a mysterious manuscript shows up on her desk. She goes to North Carolina to find the author and the rest of the story.

I thought this was an interesting book. The main storyline of Jen looking for the author is woven in with the twentieth century story she is reading. The book was well written and had a satisfying conclusion.

This would have rated five stars from me but I felt that the ending was rushed and several aspects of the story were left up in the air--or unfinished. The intriguing history and life style of that part of the Appalachian Mountains was well done. I really don't like it when authors leave details unfinished!

I so enjoyed both stories in this book. A New York book editor is handed a story that she needs to find the author of. She has many troubles but ends up back in the Appalachian mountains. She grew up here but was happy to leave. This time trying to find the author of the story helps her to get over her troubles that she had whoile growing up. I received this book from book fun.org for a fair and honest opinion.

Another winner by Lisa Wingate . The Story Keeper is the next addition to my all time favorite list. The main character is a book publisher who stumbles on a partial manuscript which takes her back home to North Carolina. Trying to solve the mystery of who wrote it brings her face to face with her own past. Both story lines past and future are mesmerizing. If you loved The Prayer Box you will love The Story Keeper. I can't wait until Lisa's next book.

Lisa never ceases to amaze! The Story Keeper is a keeper! I love the way that Lisa intertwines this story with the contemporary and the historic. I have read every one of her books and they just keep getting better and better. Jen Gibbs moves to New York to escape her upbringing in a religion called the Brethren Saints and extreme poverty in the Appalachians. When a mysterious manuscript shows up on her desk at her new job with Vida publishing she is plunged into her past when her boss sends her right back where she thought she had escaped from years before, to research and find out who the mystery author is. What follows is a heart retching saga of memories, both good and bad and a reckoning that changes Jen's life.
If you have never read any of Lisa's books run, don't walk to your nearest book store or website and get this book!

This was my third Lisa Wingate. I have to admit the sub-story did not "hook" me but I stuck with it and LOVED the story. Lisa Wingate does not shy away from calling a spade a spade when it comes to bad representations of religious people, but that is not the point. Which IS the point too. She does a great job at showing people, especially her minor characters, as capable of both good and bad.

Lisa Wingate has written another GREAT story!!!!

Jen left the mountains and her past behind. Evan ran to the mountains to escape.

The mountains call both of them home, in ways they could never imagine.

And, who wrote "The Story Teller?" Jen needs to find out for her job, she's in publishing. But, she also wants to know the story. Amazing how both the past and the present will collide for Jen.

Lisa Wingate is one of my all time favorite authors. Her books always touch the heart and inspire the soul. This is her best one yet. Lisa always weaves an intriguing story and leaves you wishing there was one more chapter to read, one more page to turn. The Story Keeper is no different. I can't wait to read the next part to this story, but wait I shall. The wait will give me time to read The Story Keeper one more time. Keep them coming, Lisa.

This novel is by far the best I have read in a very long time. I found it at a Christian bookstore, and the title immediately drew me in. I decided to look it up to see if it was at the local library, and sure enough it was. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. The characters kept reeling me in, wanting more. It isn't an ordinary story, but was full of surprises. LOVED IT!!! When I was younger, Dandi Daley Mackall was my favorite author. Lisa Wingate is my new favorite author!! I am now reading "Good Hope Road." Lisa Wingate is not only an author, but an amazing storyteller! Looking forward to reading more of her works :)

Loved it!! I can't wait for the next book in a the series. We go to the Smoky Mountains every year to vacation and visit my husband's family. I will never see it quite the same way again. Lovely story that you really want to read to find answers and yet you don't want it to end. I highly recommend it!

"It's strange how one person and a handful of stories can alter a life', are the opening words of the book, The Story Keeper. Lisa Wingate immediately engages the reader with the discovery of a mysterious draft of an unpublished book and the search for the unknown author. The introduction of unforgettable characters and two story lines from very different time periods bring an element of surprise at every turn of the page. The beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the little known Melungeons, the blue eyed Indians of the Applacians and the dysfunctional family of the main character, Jen Gibbs,come to life through Wingate's skillful use of words. Wingate's stories continue to enlighten, encourage and entertain readers until the final words have been read.

I LOVED this story of a young woman trying to escape the poverty and religious zealotry of her family and small Appalachian community.

Disclosure: I received an advance reader's copy to review for an online journal. No payment was received for the review, which will appear in Southern Literary Review.

Another delightful read by Lisa Wingate. Those who know and love Lisa's book will love this one as well. The story within a story is captivating and makes you want to meet the characters that she writes about. If you have never read Lisa Wingate, you will read this and find yourself wanting to read more. And lucky for you, there are many Lisa Wingate titles to read. Lisa has the knack for developing characters that are real and appealing. The ones you want to find next door and make them your friends. Don't wait to buy this book and read it right away!

I loved this book. The story of Jen a publicist who finds a manuscript on her desk is a great example of courage under duress. In order to follow-up on this manuscript Jen has to overcome her inner conflicts of an unhappy past in returning to her home state.
Jen's character really grows and changes through all the challenges she faces.
Character development is a strength for Wingate.
I don't want to ruin this book for other readers but I will say when I began the book I could set it aside for a short time but as I continued to read I couldn't put it down for long. I agree with USA Today- this is a must read!!!!
I feel really lucky in that I was able to review the book before it was released.

Lisa Wingate is a powerful storyteller that has delivered again in weaving the past into the present. I think Lisa is one of the few successful authors who can take a historical event, time and/or people and bring it to her readers in a manner that make sense and transitions smoothly. I most admire that her recent stories are so unique to each novel in telling both stories. I know when I’m reading a new Lisa Wingate novel that it will not be the same story theme re-written with only new characters and time and place. I love learning about something different from history as her characters reveal their own mystery and link to the past. You will not be disappointed in her newest novel, “The Storykeeper.”

I just finished The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate. In truth, Lisa is the Story Keeper. The story was rich with characters that you can care about. The story wihtin the story within the other story was intriguing. I had the opportunity to hear Lisa speak recently at an author talk. She talked about coming up with the story for this book. She is as engaging as her characters! I have read The Prayer Box also by Lisa and look forward to reading more of her fascinating stories. Lisa Wingate can tell a story. I would highly recommend you read The Story Keeper. It will make you think about the stories that we all have to tell.

The Story Keeper is definitely a winner! Lisa Wingate is a master at writing a book that snags you from the first words and keeps you there until the very end. Words of hope, strength, and love flow through The Story Keeper. Having read a prepublication as part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Book, I highly, highly recommend The Story Keeper.

I was fortunate to be part of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book that read The Story Keeper early. You are truly in for a wonderful book when you choose this one. The story within a story keeps the reader enthralled in the lives of two special young women. In addition, you learn a little history of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the peoples there and the customs. Lisa really investigates the history within the area she writes about. Lisa Wingate is a superb story teller!

This story is weaved together amazingly! Lisa Wingate not only introduces you to her characters and settings, but manages to put you right into the story! You are immediately caught up into Jennia's life, both in the hustle and competition of the city and as she travels back to her roots to discover the Story Keeper. Wingate keeps you turning pages to discover if she will find the Story Keeper or just be on a wild goose chase to the end. A fantastic story that is not to be missed!
I was given a chance to read an advance copy thanks to Tyndale House Publishers

I just finished reading The Story Keeper and I could not love it more! Lisa is so talented at capturing the many layers of her characters and I am always sad to see that I am nearing the end of one of her books. I do not know how she keeps coming up with so many wonderful stories. All i will add is that I hope she keeps it up for many more years!

I wanted to savor every word, and taste every drop of the story while reading The Storykeeper. Sadly, I could not do that!
the plot kept me riveted page after page, and it became a part of my every spare moment until the last page was turned.
The plot filled with mystery, romance, faith, and healing was a total package of inspired writing. If you want to truly be entertained and left with a big case of "warm fuzzies" get this book and start it now. Lisa has topped herself on this one, and will not disappoint!

This is a wonderful tale of guilt, healing, dealing with the past & moving forward that gripped me from the start. I did not want the book to end b/c I enjoyed it so much! I highly recommend this book to anyone & everyone. Another fantastic tale by Lisa Wingate!

Lisa has done it again! I read The Story Keeper in one day. I couldn't put it down, but wished I had savored it slowly. When a great story pulls you in, it's hard to find a stopping place. Make this a MUST READ on your book list. Lisa just keeps getting better and better. The Story Keeper will become one of your favorite books.

I just finished reading THE STORY KEEPER, a mesmerizing book by a favorite author of mine, Lisa Wingate. Lisa makes the transition effortlessly from modern-day New York to rural Appalachia at the turn of the century. Her descriptions and dialect of The Blue Ridge Mountains keep the reader fascinated until the very end of the book.

This is any enduring tale that weaves itself around different cultures. It is intriguing to the end.

At the Feet of Serenity

This is a story within a story that records the history and poverty of the Appalachians but also shows the value of love and family ties. Masterfully told. I was drawn into the story immediately and didn't want to put it down.

Being Part of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Books, I just finished reading The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate. This was such a wonderful intriguing story. Loved all the characters and want to know more about Rand, Sarra and Jen Gibbs. I highly recommend this book. You will love it!

Another winner by Lisa Wingate! Her books are compelling and characters so well-drawn, you find yourself thinking about them during the day and wondering what they are doing… until you remember they are fictional characters in a book! Great life lessons and a story you will ponder and will stay with you long after you've finished the book. Highly recommended (as are all her books)!

As the keeper of our family stories, I was intrigued by the title of this book and couldn't wait for its release so I could devour another book by my favorite author Lisa Wingate. She never disappoints when it comes to weaving a story that feels so real that you feel like you know the characters personally. She is an amazing author and I highly recommend all of her books. The Story Keeper weaves three stories within one and each one draws you into the mystery of the lives of the characters. First there is the 20 year old manuscript that lands on editor, Jenn Gibb's desk from a forbidden slush pile which touches her deeply enough to go out on a limb to follow a hunch as to the possible author of the book. Her search carries her back near her childhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains and memories that she'd tried hard to forget. Jenn's story along with that of author Evan Hall are woven along with the story contained in the manuscript and each will leave you engaged in the book from start to finish trying to solve the mystery of the manuscript. I'm hoping Lisa will do more books with these characters since it was so hard to say goodbye to them at the end of the story.

This was a fantastic book and so good I did not want it to end. Love books written by Lisa Wingate. She is very talented. I highly recommend this book. My book club read this and everyone loved it.

Having enjoyed other Lisa Wingate books I was delighted to find this audio book at our County Library. Lisa's books are amazing in MANY ways, but her ability to have several story lines going at the same time is amazing! As a pulbic health nurse who has witnessed the cycles of poverty and abuse this book's characters were vividly real.

There wasn't much of anything that I liked about this audio book. The narration was difficult to listen to and the story didn't hold my attention at all. My mom and I listen to books on the drive to and from work. I was so disappointed that I spent my Audible point on this book!

I haven't read a Lisa Wingate book that didn't make my writer self scream with envy! Story Keeper is a story within a story! Sooooo good. I am probably going to read it several times. The Indian girl makes me cry. I want to know more about their love story. MUST READ OF 2014!

Just when you think you won't ever be so drawn to the characters of a Lisa Wingate book, she does it again. But more than that, it's the lessons you can learn, words to hang onto, whether through author or author through character that keeps me reading Lisa Wingate. And The Story Keeper is exceptional- you MUST read it!

The Story Keeper by Lisa Wingate was an amazing, wonderful read. This one is going into my top ten for the year. There is so much to savor with this tale. The characters I connected with, the mystery compelled me to continue reading, and the historical information was all new to me and inspired me to also do some of my own research. This story was like a puzzle, there were a lot of pieces but as they were put together it made for a beautiful picture. We have Jen Gibbs who lives in New York and has just started her dream job as an editor at Vida House Publishing. Within her first couple of weeks she finds a mysterious manuscript on her desk. Not knowing who gave her the story that looks like it has been taken from the forbidden slush pile, she decides to go ahead and start reading it. Not only is Jen sucked into the story and its powerful characters, but we as readers are also reading that same story and being pulled in. So along with Jen, we journey to discover who wrote this and to determine if this could be the next big seller. Along the way, Jen has to start from where she grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains and face her own past that she has been trying to forget. I have not yet read another author who can so masterfully link up the past and the present in a profound and thoughtful way. I received a copy for review from The Book Club Network, Inc. and the opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Lisa's for years. I believe I've read every book she has written. I was delighted she had a new book out, however, I was left with bad taste in my mouth. Obviously I missed the whole point of the book. Clue me in, please.

Enjoyed the trip down memory lane and into the lives of people of history. The author has captured a story to share with us and I enjoyed the experience of sharing in the story. Thank you Lisa and God Bless you! Can't wait to read another of your books.

As usual Lisa Wingate has written another book you just cannot put down. A WONDERFUL trip into another time by finding that story in modern times. You will love the trip. Enjoy another inspirational story.

Jen Gibbs is a successful book editor in New York City, who has just landed a new job she has coveted at the old fashioned publishing house, Vida Publishing. Even though the book industry has migrated to electronic submissions, Vida House still has a slush pile that contains years of unopened hard copy manuscripts. There is just one rule, never touch Slush Mountain. One day, a mystery manuscript with a twenty year old post mark arrives on Jen’s desk. Knowing that she shouldn’t, she begins to read the first few chapters and becomes hooked. Based on the postmark, she thinks this may be one of a popular author’s early submissions. However, in order to get the story, she will have to return to her home in the Appalachian Mountains, a place that she has been trying to forget ever since she left.

Every time I read a book by Lisa Wingate, I expect it to be as good as the previous, but it never is. It is always better. Of the books that I have read by her, she uses a very familiar story line. It centers around a young woman, mostly mid-30s or so, with a troubled family history. Somehow she ends up confronting family members from her past, sometimes by going back home, other times not. However, what makes each story so unique are the circumstances that each woman faces, they are never quite the same. Yet, they are everyday problems that we all face at some point in our lives, which is why her characters are so easy to relate with.

The Story Keeper is my favorite book by Lisa so far. A lot of what drives my passion for this book is that I am a fellow author and understand the process of what she is going through on editing and publishing, which is always fascinating to me. To find a lost story from a popular author would be a treasure indeed. But the story that she finds, which tells of how life was over a century ago and how appalling the treatment of people were, is what makes it even more interesting. A pitch speech that Jen develops for a book on a World War II love story says it best that when we go back and live it with the characters and we can see firsthand how things were is what makes us fall in love with the story and those who tell it to us. But at the same time, to see how the story relates to Jen’s past brings us more into her realm. Understanding that people, particularly women, can still be treated as less equal in present day, strikes emotion with readers and pulls us further into the book.

The characters are all developed well emotionally, but not much on physical appearance, which I’ve noticed is becoming very common in today’s novels. However, the personalities are what really drive us to relate with the characters and their interactions with each other. I thought the last chapter tied everything together a little too quickly, but hopefully she will make this a series. The only complaint that I have is that I want to read the final product of The Story Keeper manuscript that The Story Keeper is based on. To understand what I mean, you will have to read it. I hope that Lisa will humor me and one day release the full story of Randolph and Sarra for all to enjoy. If not, I guess that will always be part of the mystery. A job well done!

Jen Gibbs has taken a new job as an editor with Vida Publishing House. The owner, George Vida, has a pile of old manuscripts that no one is to touch. Some how one of these ends up mysteriously on Jen's desk one of her first days on the job. She attempts to return it to the pile, but the opportunity never arises. She starts to read the manuscript and quickly gets caught up in the story. She supects the manuscript was written by author Evan Hall and eventually talks with George Vida about it, even though her co workers warned her she could lose her job. George Vida sends her to find out who the writer is, which sends he to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she grew up and has not returned since she left.

The old manuscript is a story of a young Melungeon girl who is rescued from dangerous men by a young man preparing to be a minister. This story tells of the stuggles the Melungeons have as well as stuggles anyone who interacts with them have.

This is a very good story. It bounces between the current day story of Jen and her work and the old manuscript. Both stories are very good. The story also brings in family issues and forgiveness. This books is Christian Fiction, yet written in such a way it would not offend anyone. It is Book 2 in A Carolina Chronicles, but is a very good stand alone book.

In her trademark style, Lisa Wingate has written another tender novel that will touch your heart. Compelling characters give a glimpse into a lesser-known segment of Appalachian culture and history. Wingate skillfully alternates between the modern-day tale and the historical account which Jen endeavors to publish if she ever finds the author. Jen's own background and personal issues will resonate with anyone who wrestles with a difficult past and how to balance love, forgiveness, and boundaries. Nuggets of truth, which speak to the reader's heart, are scattered throughout the book.I especially loved this quote:
"It's so easy to make assumptions, passing by other people's homes at a distance. To be so certain that the goings-on inside mirror the exteriors--that glittering facades and squeaky-clean windows equate to perfect families, yet the reality is that containers often tell nothing of the contents.
Hardship finds its way into every life. It's just much easier to see our own than other people's." (p. 162)
Grab your copy today of the The Story Keeper, a keeper indeed!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale House and JKS Communications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Do you have a story to tell? Jen had one, but did she dare tell it? As a new employee at a famous publishing company in New York City, Jen was not supposed to touch the infamous pile of manuscripts known as the "Slush Pile" in the boardroom. Why did that pile seem to call out to her? She'd lose her job for sure if she was caught even looking at it. On one of the first days at her new job a manuscript shows up on her desk from the "Slush Pile" that leads her on an adventure that reacquaints her with memories that may be best left in her past as well as learning of an incredible love story. Who is the author and who is giving Jen copies of the pages of the manuscript?

Lisa Wingate has once again written a beautiful story that captures your imagination from the first chapter.

The storyline is actually two books in one. One set in modern times and one set years ago deep in the Appalachian Mountains.

You don't want to miss this book!

I highly recommend the Story Keeper! Jen Gibbs is an young editor chasing THE story. This was two stories in one. One of the past and one in the present. Jen Gibbs grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains and I enjoyed how she took me back to her home and what life she had before she escaped to New York City to become an editor for a publishing company. The descriptive scenery, life style and people were wonderful. I was wishing there was more when I turned the last page.
I was gifted a copy by the Book Club Network (bookfun.org) for my opinion.

Lisa Wingate wrote not one but two amazing stories! A story within a story! Like getting two books in one! Did not want to put the book down. Lisa is a very talented writer who has a way of drawing the reader into the story with a little mystery and a little love story mingled in. Just heard that the book is a Southern Independent Booksellers Association OKRA Pick, a Pulpwood Queens Book Club Selection, and an RT Bookreviews Top Pick. And rightly deserved!

I received an advance copy of this book from the Sisterhood of the Traveling book. It was a great read. I have read many books of Lisa Wingate, and they never fail to be fantastic. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone.