Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen - A Book Review

  

Jennie Allen carefully lays out the rationale explaining why it is that we all crave community, even those, like me, who are introverts. She also makes a case for how a lack of community negatively impacts us. Rather than leaving readers to wonder how to go about meeting this need, Allen provides practical methods for doing so. She is very open with sharing her own struggles in creating and maintaining community relationships.

I requested an advanced reader copy of this book as it seemed to link well with both personal and church congregational goals regarding reestablishing relationships on this side of the pandemic. I found the book to align with these goals, and look forward to applying what I've read and recommending the book to others. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from WaterBrook via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson - A Book Review

  

Melissa Ferguson is a new-to-me author, and I enjoyed this clean romance. The story follows Assistant Acquisitions Editor for Pennington Publishing, Savannah Cade. Following her is more than a bit like watching a train wreck and not being able to look away! Just when it looks like a new conductor might smooth out the journey, she switches to another track just avoiding jumping the rails. To find out if Savannah ever makes it safely to the station, so to speak, you will have to read Meet Me in the Margins, a trip you will very likely enjoy.

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

Wildflower Wedding, a Novella by Grace Greene - A Book Review

   

I am not normally a fan of novella length books, but this was the perfect length for the story culminating in Kara and Will's wedding. Within the sweet story, author Grace Greene deals with the theme of anxiety, the fears it leads to, and how one does or does not allow those fears to shape their life. She also addresses the choice we each have to see the positive aspects of the personalities of those around us rather than focusing on the annoyances we might initially respond to. If we see the best in others, might they also be more prone to seeing the best in us? I know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this book lives up to the promise of that lovely cover. 

I am grateful to Grace Greene for providing me with such a delightful reading experience, and for doing so through a complimentary copy of Wildflower Wedding via Book Funnel without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Drawn by the Current by Jocelyn Green - A Book Review

   

Not too far into Drawn by the Current I flipped to the back to read the Author's Note. I wanted to understand to what degree the main historical event was based on fact. Discovering the truth of what took place on July 24, 1915 ramped up the emotional factor of an already emotionally charged story. It is shocking that this event from our country's history has been largely forgotten.

Author Jocelyn Green is a master storyteller. Research has shown that readers as a group have a greater degree of empathy than non-readers. It is within the tales of writers such as Jocelyn Green that that deeper empathy is developed. She creates characters that readers care about, and draws readers into the depths of emotion her characters experience.

I highly recommend Green's Windy City Saga series, of which Drawn by the Current is book three. The books can be enjoyed as stand-alone reads, but I am glad to have read them in order, getting to know the characters and their back stories. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this most recent release from Bethany House by NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Grow More Food: A Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Getting the Biggest Harvest Possible From a Space of Any Size by Colin McCrate and Brian Halm – A Book Review

   

This is the absolute best gardening book that I have come across yet. The gardening advice is clearly written and supported by useful diagrams, pictures, and charts where needed. The information is well organized, making it easy to find specific information when wanting to refer to it again. Most important of all, the guidance is practical for the backyard gardener. There is a lot to take in though, so depending on the reader's gardening skills and knowledge, it may be best to apply a little at a time versus becoming overwhelmed and giving up. I am sure that I will be learning something new from this book each year. I am excited to start planning and am really looking forward to the upcoming growing season with this book at my fingertips. (Previously published under the title High Yield Vegetable Gardening.)

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

Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis - A Book Review

  

If you enjoy those rescue movies that are so exciting but a bit unrealistic, you will likely enjoy Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War. In her Author's Note Davis discusses the many details she researched, from the expectations of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) down to fifth grade spelling words of the day, so that she would get the details right. One of the main things that makes the plot seem a bit unrealistic is the interactions between the WASPs and the Army officers regarding their rogue rescue mission. However, as I mentioned before, it is an exciting tale.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin - A Book Review

  

I have been a fan of Sarah Sundin's for some time, but this is by far her best book yet! I am sure my husband is tired of hearing about these characters, but I just had to talk to someone about them, someone who wouldn't object to spoilers. Lucie, a ballerina turned book shop owner; Paul, an engineer and automobile factory owner; and Josie, a creative storyteller and four-year-old, all seem so real as they strive to remain faithful to God, France, America, and one another while surviving in Paris during the occupation. Readers will be compelled to remain in the story, fully engaged, as they follow these characters through dangerous times, and while being led to consider what their own choices might be under similar circumstances.

I most highly recommend Until Leaves Fall in Paris and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Where the Last Rose Blooms by Ashley Clark - A Book Review

   

If you are a fan of time split, historical, or sweet romance novels, I highly recommend that you treat yourself to all three books in Ashley Clark's Heirloom Secrets series. Each book of this series leaves the reader with a sweet sense of nostalgia, probably because of the vintage heirlooms that connect the stories and characters. The theme of each book will impact a deep place in the reader's heart and soul.

Where the Last Rose Blooms is the third and, sadly according to the author's note, the final book of the series. The book is largely set in Charleston in the early 1860s and New Orleans both during Hurricane Katrina and modern day. In Charleston we meet Clara, a young woman who is faced with defying her father and lending support to the Union cause, and Rose, the enslaved woman assigned to her care. In New Orleans the story centers around Alice, co-owner of The Prickly Rose bouquet shop, a young woman who has dealt with abandonment issues since her mother disappeared during Hurricane Katrina. Their stories intermingle as we are also reunited with characters from the previous books in the series.

This book and this series are ones that you will want to share with your reading friends, ones that you won't be able to keep to yourself. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Where the Last Rose Blooms from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.