This book has it's ups and downs for sure, which is why I have kind of mixed feelings about it. I enjoy Bartels writing. She writes flawed characters that we can relate to, going through tough times and reacting in realistic ways (even if we disagree with them). But it felt a little bit different then her other books for me, and maybe that was it. I can't quite put my finger on it. It was an ok read at times, and a great read at times. In the end, it could have just been my mood while reading. I may try reading again down the road.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

All That We Carried is a beautifully written book about two estranged sisters who go on a multi-day hike in the Porcupine Mountains of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The last time they were out hiking, their parents were called in a car accident and they grew apart after that. Olivia went to law school and became very materialistic, and Melanie dropped out of college and became a life-coach. Melanie convinced Olivia to hike the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they'll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to heal and move forward in life and their relationship.

I found All That We Carried to be a beautiful story about family, reconciliation, new beginnings and forgiveness. The title was apt as both of these girls had a lot of baggage from the accident and how they reacted to it. I found the sisters to be realistic and relatable. We all deal with our grief and guilt in our own way, and these two couldn't have reacted more differently. The reconciliation was painful both emotionally and physically. My heart broke over and over as these sisters traversed the trails and shared their feelings, thoughts and beliefs with each other. There is a faith element, a lot of grief and some guilt as well as forgiveness and reconciliation. This is my first Erin Bartels book I have read, but it won't be my last. I want to let you know that the book does have a slow start, but don't give up, once it gets going, you will become invested in Melanie's and Olivia's story.

Stories of grief can be hard for me to read, since my family has seen a lot of loss in the last few years. I appreciated this well written story of two sisters reconnecting through a trip. It's always good to note that no two people process their grief quite the same.

Sisters. Sisters are so complicated, right? An adventure turning into more than bargained for! I enjoyed this book!

I found myself quickly drawn into the lives of the two sisters and their journey into their relationship, connection and forgiveness. A captivating read.

This isn't the book for me, but I can see how others would enjoy it. I came for the sister relationship but felt lukewarm about the discussions of faith and the cliched characteristics.

Estranged sisters go on a hike in hopes of reconciling after the accident that severed them ten years before.

This was a book that I struggled with, and I kind of knew that would likely be that case heading into it as I had seen many mixed reviews for this title. A well written read that follows two sisters, going back and forth between the past and present day. The sisters, Melanie and Olivia are about as different as can be, especially in how they dealt with the death of their parents. Olivia is the logical lawyer, the planner, while her sister, Melanie, is a free-spirited life coach. Olivia is an atheist, while Melanie believes there is truth in multiple religions.

There is a lot of symbolism throughout the story, from their hike and their burdens, to even their varying attitudes about Christianity, as well as in the character of Josh.

In the end, though the book is well written, didn't find the book to my personal taste. I think that the author did a good job of showing two very opposite sisters, and their differing worldviews, though they were definitely seeking something to hold onto, the ending I felt left it pretty wide open as to where they would someday end up. I also was uneasy with the unequally yoked couple. I could definitely see why some people would really enjoy this one, but it just wasn't for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this book. This is a beautiful story all about forgiveness.

All That We Carried
By Erin Bartels

“Always being on guard against what might happen to you seems like kind of an exhausting way to live. When you block out the possibility of bad surprises, don’t you lose the possibility of good surprises too?” ~ Erin Bartels, All That We Carried

Ten years ago, sisters Olivia and Melanie Greene were on a backcountry hiking trip when their parents were killed in a car accident. Over the years, they grew apart, each coping with the loss in her own way. Olivia plunged herself into law school, work, and an atomistic view of the world—what you see is what you get, and that’s all you get. Melanie dropped out of college and developed an online life-coaching business around her cafeteria-style spirituality—a little of this, a little of that, whatever makes you happy.

Now, at Melanie’s insistence (and against Olivia’s better judgment), they are embarking on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they’ll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to see that perhaps the best way to move forward is the one way they had never considered.

It would be fun to go on a hiking trip with my sister what with the bonding and all, except…
A. We would starve to death – beef jerky and dried berries is no way to live.
B. Neither of us would poop in the woods – you’re supposed to carry your shovel and bury your s**t.
C. A wild animal would eat us, or at least maul us – and we’ve spent some serious money on these complexions.
D. We’d whine incessantly – and try to top each other’s problems.
E. We’d get lost – map reading is not our spiritual gift and Siri doesn’t answer questions in the wilderness.
F. Sleeping in a tent is a big downer – my back hurts just thinking about it.
G. We’re sissies – actually, that is a reason all on its own.

In other words, camping is not our jam. It didn’t work out too well for Olivia and Melanie Green, the protagonists in All That We Carried, either. Bartels’ book is a wonderful treatise on the power of forgiveness, the true beauty in our differences, and the complexities of grief, faith, and sisterhood. Since I probably won’t be hiking in the UP anytime soon, I appreciated the author’s vivid portrait of the Porcupine Mountain in the autumn. “Beech and birch trees shone bright yellow against the pines and firs, and shocks of red sumac rose like waves along the roadside.” Or this: “White foam tinged with brown from the tannins that leeched from the cedar trees, like a river of root beer.” I could visualize the landscape, hear the river rapids, smell the leaves crushing beneath my feet, and hear the buzz of the insects swarming around my head.

One of my favorite parts of her book is found in the Author’s Note and Acknowledgements. Here’s how she gives credit to God: “May you be my compass when I stray, my helper when I stumble, and ever the object of my deepest devotion.” Amen sister, Amen. This was my first book by Erin Bartels and I just loved it. 4 stars.

Classic Erin Bartels. Beautifully written. Excellent characters. Raw. Real. Full of faith, hope and redemption. Five stars.

Two sisters on a backpacking trip in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park are trying to reconnect 10 years after the untimely death of their parents. These two keep in touch, reluctantly, because they deal with the loss so differently. One sister needs to be in control, which is understandable due to the great loss. The other sister authors a self-help /inspirational blog to help others, all while somewhat sidestepping her own recovery. There's also the matter of the third party involved in the parents' accident.
Follow the sisters on their discovery journey as they find their way through the bog and onto more solid ground.
I thought the characters were genuine and I loved the setting in Michigan.
Thanks to Baker Publishing for providing me an ARC for a review in my own words.

This author is new to me. Two sisters who haven't seen each other in 10 years come together to go on a hiking trip. You will be hooked as you follow their adventure on this wild ride. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author!

This was different than most books I read but really it was so good. In All That We Carried we meet estranged sisters Melanie and Olivia who haven't kept in touch with each other since their parents died ten years previously. They found out about it when they were on a hike so now many years later they plan another hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Upper Michigan in order to reconcile. There are themes of grief, forgiveness and not carrying other's burdens or carrying more than what we should. They are also searching for spiritual truth and with the help of a man named Josh that they meet along the way, you can see that they are both well on their way to the narrow path.

I will definitely be looking for Erin Bartel's other books.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Erin Bartels has an incredible gift of taking something as simple as a broken relationship between two sisters, and an otherwise uneventful camping trip, and turned it into something that captured my heart, my imagination, and truly enveloped my mind into this world.

It's been ten years since sisters Olivia and Melanie have spent any time together, parting after losing their parents in a tragic car accident. Each sister had their own unique way of coping, both polar opposites in almost every way, but Melanie is ready to mend the relationship, and forces Olivia to go on a hiking trip with her in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. What the reader gets to witness is the task of two sisters, who are practically strangers, fighting to bond and break this invisible barrier that has been between them for ten long years.

I only have one sister, so this narrative really spoke to me. Though we are best friends now there was a time that we did drift apart, and could completely relate to the fight to bond, and understand the other persons point of view. The pain you feel from both sister as the truth slowly pours from them is heartbreaking. To not only lose your parents, but also you sister, is unthinkable, and I felt such sympathy for each of them.

The writing was masterfully done, really capturing this moment in time with the sisters. I have never hiked personally, but after reading the imagery of the Upper Peninsula, I really felt like I experienced the landscape and beauty with the characters. I also loved that you got to see two people with two opposite beliefs come together and have intelligent conversations about their differences, and see ways they could come together despite these differences.

My only complaint was the ending was subpar for me. I was expecting something more dramatic, but sadly what I had envisioned didn't come to pass. The lead up was amazing though, and I really truly enjoyed reading All That We Carried. This is the first novel I've read by Erin Bartels, and it will not be my last!

Thanks to Revell for the eARC of this book!

As someone with 6 siblings this book was so relatable and honest. These relationships that grow and develop with us throughout our whole lives are tenuous and easily strained. Olivia and Melanie's story show us how close siblings can be even when polar opposites and how easily that closeness can turn into a chasm that neither knows how to cross.

I can't imagine what the strain of losing a parent would do to any relationship let alone the one between siblings; grief is such a personal thing, we all experience it, feel it, and deal with it differently.

I loved how this story took such a detailed look at Melanie and Olivia's differences, not only when it comes to grief but in their thought processes and personalities. The author was able to highlight their differences in communication style and willingness to put themselves out there.

A major premise of the book is that 10 years after their parent's death the two sisters go on a hike together in an attempt to reconnect. I've never done this type of full-on hike before and I felt like I was right there in it, the writing was beautiful and the descriptions perfect.

Overall, I rather enjoyed this book!

Sisters Melanie and Olivia have been estranged for over a decade, ever since their parents were killed in an auto accident caused by Olivia's childhood friend. Olivia is not ready to forgive her friend or her sister who it seems has been able to do just that. In a weak moment Olivia commits to hiking trip in the UP's Porcupine Mountains with Melanie, something she regrets from the moment the two women put on their packs and begin the hike. Perhaps you can tell from the title, this book is about more than what the women have in those heavy packs -- but how well they are prepared does enter into the story. More important are the memories, sister grudges, and "old baggage" both have. While Melanie would like a new start, she can't seem to overcome being the little sister, with Olivia as boss. And then there is the fact that they keep getting lost, despite the carefully marked map that Olivia carries. A solitary fisherman seems to rescue them, not just once, but multiple times. Readers will come to understand that he is NOT an ordinary fisherman. While this aging lady is NOT a hiker or mountain climber, I am a camper and I have great memories of trips to the Porkies and several other UP spots mentioned in this novel by Michigan resident Erin Bartels. Those memories kept me reading a book that I might not have chosen otherwise. I give the book a 3.5, but if you like allegories, you might find it deserves a higher rating. I received a copy of this title from Netgalley. All opinions are mine.

The last time sisters Olivia and Melanie camped, they were found by park rangers and discovered their parents died in a car wreck. It has been a decade and the girls have not seen each other. Melanie convinces Olivia to backpack hoping they can resolve their differences. Melanie is the positive one, a life coach supporting those in need. Olivia is a lawyer, used to taking command and leery of humans in general. The book was great. I felt like I was hiking with them through the lovely scenery, trails and wildlife. It was truly an adventure!

The premise of this book is for two sisters, who have been estranged since the death of their parents many years ago, to spend some time together doing something they both have enjoyed in the past. Melanie gets in touch with Olive and asks her to go on a hiking/camping trip together, hoping to be able to reconcile and become active in each other's lives again. I wanted to like this book more than I did.. There was the usual, expected back-and-forth between sisters, but I didn't get the feeling of being invested in either character. I liked the descriptive writing of the outdoors, as the scenery became pictures in my mind, and there were times that kept me reading to see what would happen next. Overall a good read. Thank you to NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. #NetGalley #AllThatWeCarried

Another enjoyable read from Erin Bartels. Being from MI, this book really hooked me. She nails all the descriptions of land, water, and hiking - and right from the opening, with the small town gas station scene and finding a knife, and a 'differen't sort of culture as you move up into Northern MI. This book is a about sisters, and relationships - grief and forgiveness. Bartels does an excellent job bringing each character to life, and for me, that made these two opposite sisters seem more real, believable. The scenery read like a breathtaking panoramic picture and made me want to hike.

All That We Carried is the story of two sisters who have not had contact for the ten years after their parents are killed in an auto accident. I liked that Melanie reached out to Olivia and invited her to go on a hiking trip. Due to circumstances they face on the hike including a bear, getting lost, falling in cold water, a forest fire and Olivia tumbling down a cliff, the sisters are forced to deal with their past and current actions toward one another. I would love to take a long hiking trip in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and enjoyed the descriptions of their hike! When the book started out describing some of Melanie's new age beliefs, I had to look up the author to be sure this was a Christian book! The Christian thread is very subtle but it is there. It was an interesting story. I received a complimentary e-book through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.