The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken - A Book Review

  

Erin Litteken may be a debut author, but this book is written with a wonderful grasp of storytelling and wordsmithing. The Memory Keeper of Kyiv struck me to my very core. We all know about he horrors of the Holocaust, but I am embarrassed to say that prior to reading this book I knew nothing about the Holodomor that was perpetrated in Ukraine during 1932 and 1933 by Stalin's regime. Of course, this is a very timely story as Ukraine is once again under attack by Russia. A portion of each sale of The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is being donated by Boldwood Books to DEC's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

This dual timeline novel tells the story of Katya and her family as they work to survive in Ukrain in the early 1930s, a story filled with suffering and loss as well as hope and love. It also tells the story of Cassie, Katya's granddaughter, in the United States in the early 2000s as she and her mother discover their family history, a history that provides not only answers to their many questions, but also encouragement for Cassie's hurting heart.

Nothing I could write here would do this book justice without telling more than readers would want revealed. Let me just say that this is a book that shouldn't be missed. Erin Litteken is a gifted author, and this book is a valuable gift to readers. In the Author's Note at the end of the book Litteken tells readers that she plans a second novel based on her own Ukrainian ancestors' story. I look forward to this offering. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Memory Keeper of Kyiv from Boldwood Books via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Fatal Code by Natalie Walters - A Book Review

   

At first I thought this book was going to be a difficult one to finish. There is a Hawaiian character which led the author to use the word brah, slang for brother, thirty-eight times. Annoying, the repetition, not the character. There were also references to a popular television show that some, perhaps many, readers of Christian fiction would likely opt not to watch due to its content, thus the references lack any positive impact. It also made me wonder about the author's choice to basically promote the show. However, since the plot was interesting and well played, I did finish the book. It involved espionage, murder, and cyber-security, so the author hadn't gone completely wrong.

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

A Healer's Promise by Misty M.Beller - A Book Review

   

This second book in Misty M. Bellar's Brides of Laurent series is just as delightful as the first. It was such a pleasure to once again visit the hidden community of Laurent in the Canadian Rockies. The themes of not getting ahead of God, but rather waiting on His guidance and timing, and the importance of extending grace and mercy as He has done for us are well-developed in the tale of the community's healer, Audrey Moreau, and Levi Masters, a British intelligence officer. The value of putting others first is also essential to the story. While this is the second book of the series, it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone read.

I highly recommend A Healer's Promise to fans of historical fiction, especially to those who wish for a place where a sense of true community thrives. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart - A Book Review

   

One cannot help but let their heart become intertwined in the lives of the characters Ann H. Gabhart has so skillfully developed in When the Meadow Blooms. Sisters Calla and Sienna Meadows have been living at Louisville's West Side Home for Girls since their mother's admittance to Rest Haven Sanitarium following her tuberculosis diagnosis. The girls were separated even though both were living in the same facility, and Sienna in particular had endured some harsh treatment. Rose had never imagined being away from her girls for two years when she dropped them off at the home. Now each of them are desperate to be back together. Might the answer lie with their estranged Uncle Dirk, a man they don't really know who lives with both physical and emotional scars? Will he be willing to open his home and life to them?

This sweet, slow-paced story is perfect for an emotional, character-driven read. I am always amazed by Gabhart's versatile writing. No matter the style or genre, I have never been disappointed with any of her books. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of When the Meadow Blooms from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Written on the Wind by Elizabeth Camden - A Book Review

   

This second book in Elizabeth Camden's Blackstone Legacy series focuses on Natalia Blackstone, the only female business analyst in all of New York City. Employed by the Blackstone Bank, Natalia was the bank's leading analyst for Russian investment. Specifically she was in charge of the bank's financing of the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. While never meeting in person, over the years Natalia had developed a friendship with Count Dimitri Sokolov, her point of contact for the railway. While she had imagined what he looked like, and how it might be to meet him in person, she could never have imagined the circumstances that precipitated their finally meeting face-to-face or Dimitri's initial appearance.

Elizabeth Camden's thorough and extensive research is always apparent in her historical fiction. Her understanding of international business and politics of the early 1900s was amazing in this story. Given the current situation between Russia and Ukraine, it was especially interesting to read about Russia's interaction with villages along the Amur River as the Trans-Siberian Railway was being constructed. Camden refers to it as a series of pogroms in her author's note; pogrom meaning an organized massacre of a particular ethnic group.

I am giving this book five stars, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Written on the Wind from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson - A Book Review

  

This wonderful sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek will work as a stand alone read, but please don't deprive yourself of reading both books in order which will increase your emotional attachment to the characters in The Book Woman's Daughter. Honey Lovett is left to fend for herself after her parents are imprisoned for violating Kentucky's miscegenation laws, her father being white and her mother a Blue. The Blue people of Kentucky first arrived around 1820 when a French orphan who carried the gene for the rare blood disorder that causes a blue skin hue claimed a land grant there. The Blues suffered prejudices and unfair treatment for many years. It was not much different for our fictional Honey in the 1950s who was noted as being one of the last of the dwindling number of Blues. Fortunately there were those who embraced Honey and her mother before her as friends and contributing community members as they worked to provide books to those living in hard-to-reach areas of Appalachia.

This story of courage, sisterhood, survival, and respect for others is heart touching. While I usually read and review Christian fiction, and this book is not that, I am pleased that the author carefully handled scenes that others may have described in a more graphic manner. In my mind it is a thoughtful author that knows when to allow readers the opportunity to restrict or give rein to their mental images by providing just enough information to get the point across. Kim Michele Richardson is such an author. I highly recommend this book and its predecessor, and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Sourcebooks Landmark via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

What Remains True by Nancy Naigle - A Book Review

  

The setting was my favorite part of What Remains True. Antler Creek is a quaint, little town in the mountains. It's main street is lined with businesses owned and run by hometown folk; no big box stores here. People know one another's business and take care of their own, even though visitors and new comers are made to feel welcome. Merry Anna Foster loved the town so much at first sight that she decided to take a part-time job and settle down for a few months in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings while she recuperated from years running a stressful corporation and a failed marriage.

While What Remains True is a clean read, and it does include some church scenes, it will push the limits for some readers as to whether or not it should be considered Christian fiction. I can't really expound on that without including spoilers, which I choose not to do.

This latest release by Nancy Naigle is a sweet romance and it will make a great vacation read. I would likely have enjoyed it even more than I did if I had not read her book The Shell Collector which is a very hard act to follow. I had wanted to give this book 3 ½ stars, but rounded to four. I will continue to watch for Naigle's new releases, adding her to my list of authors to follow.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of What Remains True from WaterBrook via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

A Promise Engraved by Liz Tolsma - A Book Review

  

It has been a very long time since I read a book set around the historical events at the Alamo. This split-time fiction novel uses an engraved ring to connect the 1835-1836 and current time storylines. The protagonist in both stories are brave, young women who have encountered brutality and loss, who are afraid to open up to others, but who long to do so. The current time story may open eyes and hearts to the children being sent alone to cross our southern border. Both stories are exciting, intriguing, and emotional. I give this book five stars.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Promise Engraved from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.