The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare - A Book Review

     

I enjoyed reading The Bronze Bow along with our seventh-grade grandson. Set in the area in and near Capernaum during the time of Jesus' ministry, readers are given a sense of what life was truly like in that setting. They also get a sense of the intensity with which Jesus lived and felt, His compassion and love as well as His weariness.

Daniel, a would-be Zealot, is the main character, supported by some strong secondary characters as he sets aside his dreams in order to fulfill his responsibility to his younger sister. Yet he remains driven to rid the nation of the Romans, looking for a leader to follow in that pursuit. This book is a wonderful choice for parents and grandparents of middle grade students to read and discuss together. I highly recommend it.

Dark Water by Christy Barritt - A Book Review

    

Dark Water is the first book in Christy Barritt's Lantern Beach Blackout series, one of her several Lantern Beach series. Blackout is an organization, started by Colton Locke, that employs former military people to work as security, bodyguards or on other high stakes assignments. When Elise Oliver, widow of a Navy SEAL, finds herself in trouble, it isn't surprising that Colton is the first person she turns to. Unfortunately trouble has followed her straight to Lantern Beach.

I enjoyed this, my second, Christy Barritt romantic-suspense novel, and will continue to read more between ARCs. 

Her Amish Wedding Quilt by Winnie Griggs - A Book Review

   


As expected, this work of Amish fiction provides a sweet, wholesome read. Possibly less expected, it also provides food for thought about the deep theme of the influence of childhood events on adult relationships, for better or for worse. It also gives hope that through the Spirit we can be victors over our thought-life, taking every every thought captive for Christ.

I enjoyed Noah's story of seeking a helpmate and Greta's of seeking acceptance. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Her Amish Wedding Quilt from Hatchette Book Group via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings - A Book Review

    

Fans of Jen Turano will love Regina Jennings' Courting Misfortune. Calista York is an independent, young woman of means who is an undercover Pinkerton agent-in-training looking for a Chicago mobster's missing daughter who was last reported as being seen in Joplin, Missouri. Matthew Cook, new to Joplin, is a young pastor called to work with the miners hoping to strike it rich in the ore fields, miners who frequented Joplin's bars, gambling halls, and brothels. Matthew and Calista both want to serve God by helping others, but will that calling unite or separate them? Jennings has the perfect mix of history, romance, humor, and mystery. The full cast of fun, quirky characters make for a fabulous, fun read. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Courting Misfortune from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen - A Book Review

    


Even the smallest of details in this book are well-researched, truly placing the reader in North Cornwall, England in the early 1800s. I found A Castaway in Cornwall to be a wonderful companion read to The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd, which I had recently read and enjoyed. I felt that Evelyn Bray and Laura Callaway would have been the best of friends. Laura's guardian even shared Evelyn's surname. Both story lines revolve around the frequent shipwrecks off the coast of Northern Cornwall, and the free-traders and smugglers who profited from them. A Castaway in Cornwall also incorporates the conflict between the English and French.

Laura Callaway saves the life of a passenger from a doomed ship, the Kittiwake. She takes him to her uncle's home to recuperate and becomes entangled in his efforts to return home and save his brother from the noose. Throwing caution and propriety to the wind, Laura may also fulfill a long-held dream of her own.

I highly recommend A Castaway in Cornwall and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Gold Digger by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

    

I have truly enjoyed Barbour Books' True Colors series, and recommend it often. Gold Digger is the latest addition to the series and is very well researched and written. I can only imagine the nightmares the author must have had while researching the true crimes that inspired this story. It is difficult to reveal anything about this story's content without revealing too much. If you like true crime stories, mysteries that are a bit gruesome, or psychological thrillers, this book is for you. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Gold Digger from Barbour Books via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark - A Book Review

The character development in this novel is superb. Readers will find themselves being woven into the fabric of Harper and Millie’s stories. The theme of holding onto one’s hopes and dreams even through the most discouraging of times will encourage many a flagging spirit as Ashley Clark’s characters impart great wisdom and spiritual guidance. The theme of racial tension and violence will reach to the past and touch the present. This novel and the stories held within will touch your heart. It is one of those books you will not soon forget. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

To Steal a Heart by Jen Turano - A Book Review

   


Jen Turano's quirky characters are always a delight. To Steal a Heart's romance and mystery, set in the Gilded Age, are just plain fun. This lighthearted, feel-good story is perfect for these difficult times. Gabriella Goodhue and Nicholas Quinn, raised together as street children, are now reunited as more reputable adults, but their past is nudging its way into the present. The many secondary characters whose lives are woven into Gabriella's and Nicholas' are key to the story and will embed themselves into readers' hearts, readers who will be thrilled that there are more Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency books to come. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of To Steal a Heart from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Things We Didn't Say by Amy Lynn Green - A Book Review

    

When the first few chapters of Things We Didn't Say consisted of letters and newspaper clippings, I flipped through the book and discovered that the entire book was structured that way. Initially I felt that would cause the book to drag on, but I could not have been more wrong. I was totally sucked into this story, and totally amazed at how the author's unique story structure allowed the tale to unfold. Johanna Berglund,at first a fairly unlikable but brilliant linguistics student, evolves into a caring, compassionate young woman as she is forced into working as a translator and censor in a German POW camp in her hometown of Ironside Lake, Minnesota. There is so much more I want to reveal, but truly want to avoid even the smallest of spoilers that would cause other readers not to get the benefit of the author's true gift of feeding the reader information at just the right spot in the story. This is truly a five star read, and I am more than grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Harbinger II The Return by Jonathan Cahn - A Book Review

    


In this second Harbinger book Jonathan Cahn picks up from where the first book left off with God's first staking, the 9/11 attack on our country. In that book Cahn brought to the readers' attention connections with Biblical events, too many to be coincidental. In this book he brings us into the present, even addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic. He uses Scriptural references to explain why God is working to get our attention, and stresses the need for God's people to repent and seek His face. Cahn also writes about current sexual morality and the broadening of the pro-choice movement. I did find one error in the data presented (or it may be possible it was the on-line source whose data was in error), but it was only a few days' difference in when New York City experienced its peak number of COVID-19 cases. This book gives readers much to ponder. I am grateful to have been gifted a copy of The Harbinger II by a sweet, book-reading friend.

The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas - A Book Review

    

Things don't have to be perfect to get the job done. That was something that Creed Raines had been a long time in learning. Sarah Loudin Thomas challenges her readers to consider the cost of seeking perfection, the cost of making safety and security top priorities. She does this through immersing readers in Loyal Raines' coming-of-age story. Having lost his hearing nine years earlier as a four-year-old, Loyal's deep desires to fit in in a hearing world, to be loved and supported by a father who was burdened with guilt, and to be trusted by a mother who wanted to shelter him, propel him through both the difficulties and adventures of the summer of 1934, the summer he found the dead man on the river bank.

I read this book in two days being compelled to put aside much else in order to see how Thomas would work out all of the different aspects of this story. She wove a beautiful tale of learning, trusting, loving, and redemption. I most highly recommend The Right Kind of Fool, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Escape by Lisa Harris - A Book Review

    

Lisa Harris' new series, US Marshals, is top notch. The first book, The Escape, follows two Marshals on a manhunt for an escaped murderer who manages to stay one step ahead of them. The Marshals must continually stay on the move, adjusting their plans to his unexpected tactics, putting themselves at risk in their attempts to successfully complete their mission. Sometimes, however, danger lurks where least expected.

Harris' writing is fast-paced and intense. This is a difficult book to walk away from. Readers will likely finish it in record time because they will continually say, “just one more chapter,” late into the night. The theme of trying to move on from one's circumstances resonates with each character, some by manipulating situations, others by trying to accept the past and to make a better future relying on God and loved ones. I am grateful to have received an advanced copy of The Escape as part of the author's launch team and an e-copy from NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

What You Said to Me by Olivia Newport - A Book Review

    

So many series these days are trilogies, often one book per sibling in the series' main family. I was quite excited to discover that Olivia Newport has added a fourth book to her Tree of Life series featuring only child Julian Parisi-Duffy, a genealogist. In this installment her father, Nolan Duffy, has arranged for her to have “help” with a genealogy project searching for a large number of people who were stolen from their families and placed in adoptive families decades ago, the help being an angry teenager in an alternative sentencing program. As with the other books in this series, there is also an historical backstory which is equally if not more compelling than the contemporary one.

Newport writes believable characters who care deeply for one another and for strangers soon to be friends. She places them in situations that are relevant to today's readers. The historical situations also have themes relevant to today. In this book that is mental health and its impact on future generations, both good and bad. While What You Said to Me is a good stand-alone read; it does carry on events from prior books, and leaves the reader hoping for more.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of What You Said to Me from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery - A Brief Comment

    

I have read this book a time or two prior to this most recent reading. I am privileged to be doing my grandson's seventh grade literature class with him during virtual learning due to the pandemic. This was our first of four books in the curriculum that we are using. While it wasn't his favorite (thus his choosing to do it first and get it over with),  I enjoyed another read through. He has done very well comprehending and recognizing the life lessons the book has to offer. Life was so much simpler during the time this book is set, but it certainly wasn't easier, and not without its difficulties. Anne is a wonderful example of someone who takes Philippians 4:8 to heart. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. May we do likewise. 

Autumn Skies by Denise Hunter - A Book Review

   

Autumn Skies is the third book in Denise Hunter's Bluebell Inn series. While a knowledge of the characters and backstory is nice, this book will work well as a stand-alone read. It focuses on Grace Bennett, the youngest of three siblings who completed their parents' dream of converting their historical family home into an inn. It is a love story between the fresh, young, outdoors girl and a Secret Service agent who comes to the inn seeking resolution to a horrific, life-changing event from his childhood. Hunter does a great job of writing passion that does not exceed the boundaries of Christian fiction. She deals sensitively with the importance of resolving childhood trauma, and extending oneself forgiveness and the freedom to joyfully pursue life.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott - A Book Review

    

Set in the Yellowstone National Park in the fall of 1886, Nothing Short of Wondrous gives readers a view of the park's grandeur: the geyser fields, mountain vistas, varied and majestic wildlife, and the strong people who protected it all. Readers who like a strong, female protagonist will not be disappointed in Kate Tremaine, a widowed mother who owns the Geyser Gateway Inn. She is fiercely protective of her son, their way of life, and the park. With her lease up for renewal, Kate has additional reasons to fight for all she loves. Fortunately God often blesses with things one doesn't even realize are needed, and the author demonstrates this through Lieutenant Will Prescott and his men who have come to patrol the area of the park where the Geyser Gateway is located. Will's story encourages hope for those who feel they are living a life of penance and are in need of restoration. Kate and Will's stories are set against a backdrop of those who are set to prosper from Yellowstone's resources at great cost to the park.

This novel is well-written, superbly plotted, with well-developed characters. I am grateful to have received a complementary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano - A Book Review

  

A blessing. That is what The Love Note by Joanna Davidson Politano is, a blessing. It is a story of true love, most especially about the truest, the love of and for God. It is also about the power of words, their power to wound and destroy, and their power to heal and restore. It is a story of surrendering one's dreams to God, exchanging good for best. My heart will choose to dwell in this book a while longer even though I've read the last word; my soul clings to the wisdom within its covers.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Glimmer in the Darkness by Robin Patchen included in the Dangerous Deceptions Boxed Set - A Book Review

 

Robin Patchen's latest release, Glimmer in the Darkness, is included in the Dangerous Deceptions Christian romantic suspense boxed set. It was wonderful to return to New Hampshire with Robin. I am beginning to know and care about the characters of Coventry, as much as I had her Nutfield, NH characters. In this book readers jump right into a murder and kidnapping case involving young girls. The case appears to be connected to a decade old case in which the suspect, a teenage girl, was never located. Cassidy Leblanc has changed her name and made a life for herself on the west coast, but she is compelled to return to Coventry to search for the man who held her captive a lifetime ago, determined that another young girl won't meet the same fate as her young friend Hallie. She soon realizes that she cannot do this alone, and her close friend, Hallie's brother, may be the only one who can help.

Patchen has once again gifted her readers with an action-filled tale of suspense and deep emotion. Her writing style keeps readers in the palm of her hand and on the edge of their seat. She has long been among my top five favorite suspense writers. I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from the author without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Light at Wyndcliff by Sarah E. Ladd - A Book Review

   

Ladd's latest installment in her Cornwall series is delightful. William (Liam) Twethewey is now a grown man and has come into his inheritance of the Wyndcliff Estate, for which he has big plans including the mining of China clay. Evelyn Bray has lived in Wyndcliff Cottage with her grandfather most of her life, while he served as estate steward. She thought she knew her community well, but Liam's arrival has caused her to question much of what she thought she knew, and it has caused Liam to wonder what nefarious activities have been going on since his uncle's passing.

Shipwrecks, smuggling, betrayal, and mysterious comings and goings, this book is filled with intrigue and suspense, not to mention romance. For the historical fiction fans, there is the fact that the story is set in the 1820s, a bonus indeed. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Light at Wyndcliff from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Your Hospitality Personality by Morgan Tyree - A Book Review

    

This book is well-organized, well-thought out, and a wealth of information. It includes a hospitality personality quiz, which I found helpful. Tyree gives wonderful hostessing suggestions for each of four hospitality personalities. She also examines hospitality habits and explains how to incorporate those habits into reducing stress and successfully showing hospitality to friends and family. The section on working with and around hospitality hang-ups was filled with good ideas. The specific suggestions made by a variety of Tyree's friends were spot on, and the menu, recipes, decorating and entertainment ideas in the hosting themes chapter were equally on target and appreciated. Overall Tyree reminds us that connecting with those we care about and those we want to get to know better is what is most important. Making people feel valued and connected is what its about. That's what leaves a lasting impression.

I am grateful to have received a copy of Your Hospitality Personality from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Point of Danger by Irene Hannon - A Book Review

    

I love mysteries that have a surprise ending without pulling in something or someone out of left field. In Point of Danger Irene Hannon provides just that. That in itself is worth a five star rating in my book, but Hannon gives us so much more. She sets the story in a very contemporary social situation, the call for freedom of speech as long as it agrees with the listener's world view. In this story this plays out with talk radio listeners and with the loosely organized Antifa organization. She gives us characters who surrender their safety to speak God's truth and to uncover truth in tense situations. She writes believable, natural sounding dialogue that keeps the story rolling. Mystery and suspense fans are in for a real treat.

I am grateful to have received a copy of Point of Danger from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Forever by Your Side by Tracie Peterson - A Book Review

   

Forever by Your Side is the third book in Peterson's Williamette Brides series, following the next generation from her Hearts of the Frontier series. This series works best when read in sequence, and readers won't want to miss anything in the tale of this family's championing the rights of the Native Americans who have been gathered together on reservations in the Pacific Northwest. This book has romance and adventure as Connie Browning and her best friend, Tom Lowell, brave an uprising in order to find the truth as to who is trying to destroy her parents' reputation. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and have appreciated being able to continue on with the stories of this extended family. I am grateful to have received a copy of Forever by Your Side from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Everywhere to Hide by Siri Mitchell - A Book Review

    

Everywhere to Hide has an intricate plot involving politics, espionage, cryptocurrency, and murder. Mitchell gives the story an interesting twist by including a key witness who has face blindness, something that impacts about 2.5% of the population to varying degrees. For this witness it means that the killer knows she saw him, but doesn't know that she cannot identify him. It also means that any man passing her on the sidewalk could be the killer set on insuring that she could not lead the authorities to him or testify against him.

I typically review Christian fiction, and this book isn't that, but it is a good, clean read, one that I would recommend. I have given it five stars because of the intricacy of the plot, the pacing of the story, and the author's ability to bring forth great empathy for the protagonist. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Everywhere to Hide from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham - A Book Review

 

     I was so happy to see that the most recent addition to Barbour Publishing's True Colors series was written by Pepper Basham. This particular fictionalized version of the American true crime known as The Courthouse Massacre was a perfect fit for Basham as it took place in her hometown of Carroll County, Virginia. Her stories set in Appalachia are wonderful, including The Red Ribbon. Her characters in this book, especially Ava and Granny Burcham and the chivalrous Jeremiah Sutphin, are endearing. Readers will likely have mixed feelings about Sid Allen, who seems to be a caring citizen while having one foot outside of the law. Of course, given the genre, there are characters whose feet are firmly planted on the side of evil. I especially liked the quotes of homespun wisdom from Granny Bercham or Granddaddy Sutphin at the beginning of each chapter.

     I am grateful to have received a copy of The Red Ribbon from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Refrain Within by Liz Tolsma

 

While The Refrain Within is the third book in Tolsma's Music of Hope series, I did not feel like I missed background information important to understanding the story. As a matter of fact, prior to looking back at the front matter, I assumed it was the first of a series. I certainly would like to know what happens next in the lives of the major players in this story. The Refrain Within is an emotional tale of the impact of World War II on Jews in Hungary and those who loved them. It is also a tale of how music feeds the soul, especially during great trials, and of course how true faith in Christ grows when tested. The story is very well written, and will linger in the readers' thoughts long after it is finished.

I am grateful to have received a copy of The Refrain Within from Gilead Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.