Capturing Hope by Angela K. Couch - A Book Review

 

  

Capturing Hope takes place during Germany's invasion of Poland. I had not fully understood how different their invasion of Poland was to that of many of the other countries they invaded. As the author states in her historical note at the end of the book, the atrocities and genocide in Poland went much deeper in Poland. Hitler had stated that if Poland did not comply he would wipe them off of the map, and try he did. In this story American David Reid is tasked by the father of Nadia Roenne to insure that his daughter escapes from Poland to England. Having been born into nobility, Nadia meets many ordinary and extraordinary people, people of a class she would never have encounter before, as she and David make their way out of Poland. Both become convicted to help several of those they meet along the way, changing their outlook on both themselves and others as well as God. The story is very well written, character development strong, and emotion intense. The theme of self-sacrifice is genuinely expressed throughout the story. Don't pass up the historical note at the end. It is amazing how much of what David and Nadia encounter was historically accurate. May we not forget.

I highly recommend Capturing Hope and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Into the Fire by Irene Hannon - A Book Review

  

I enjoyed the story of arson investigator Bri Tucker and ATF Special Agent Marc Davis as they worked to solve the mystery of the death of a colleague and the mystery of the cases he had been trying to tie together at the time of his death. This book falls under the category of Christian fiction, but might be better described as clean fiction as the Christian element is light. The story is written is a way that held my attention, the motivation of the killer was more of a puzzle than the identity which was fairly obvious. Typically Irene Hannon writes in more red herrings with regard to the perpetrator, but the puzzle being the motivation worked well for this story.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Into the Fire from Revell without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Shadows at Dusk by Elizabeth Goddard - A Book Review

  

Elizabeth Goddard always provides readers with fast-paced, high-action, romantic suspense, heavy on the suspense. It is what make me always keep an eye out for her next book. I am especially enjoying her Missing in Alaska series of which Shadows at Dusk is the second installment. In this story Detective Trevor West is searching for his missing sister, a geologist who went missing while on leave from her job at EchoGlobal. He hires bush pilot Carrie James to assist with his search, and almost immediately gets sucked into the danger that is following her, possibly from her distant past. Alaska is a beautiful backdrop to this intense tale, and the lead characters have multiple opportunities to fly over and hike through its beautiful and perilous terrain.

Fans of Robin Patchen, Irene Hannon, and Lynette Eason are likely to be or to become fans of Eizabeth Goddard as well. Shadows at Dusk works very well as a stand-alone read. If you do happen to read it first, I've no doubt you will find yourself going back to the first book in the series which is equally as entertaining.

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

The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

  

This was the perfect book to read over an overcast, chilly, fall weekend. This dual timeline story has plenty of not-easily-explained-away ghostly sightings and sounds, and tales of missing people, both in the past and present. Greta Mercy was a single woman of the working class doing her best to care for her orphaned brothers in 1915. Circumstance after circumstance seem to be stacking up against her, and most of them lead back to the owner of the Barlowe Theater, the hub of most of the unexplained apparitions. Kit Boyd struggled with having trust and faith in humans, an issue rooted in her feelings of abandonment by her birth parents. Now her best friend is missing, and even though Kit believes Madison to be innocent of any wrong doing, she struggles with wondering about the possibility that her best friend has also abandoned her. As Jaime Jo Wright leads readers along the path of solving these mysteries, she allows them to enjoy shivers running up their spines while readying them to accept the truths that are to be revealed.

As usual, Jaime Jo Wright has provided hours of reading pleasure with a very satisfying ending, and I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. I hope others will enjoy this spine tingling tale as much as I did. 

On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni - A Book Review

  

 Even though the leading lady of On Moonberry Lake is twenty-six years old, it still feels like a coming-of-age story. Maybe that is because Cora Matthews feels like she lost her childhood when her mother took her away from all she had ever known and loved without ever explaining why. As a result Cora had never been able to put down roots, that is not until she returned to the small town of Moonberry Lake, Minnesota, a town filled with unforgettable characters. On Moonberry Lake will make readers cry and then laugh until they cry. Numerous times I stopped my husband in whatever he was doing to read hilarious excerpts aloud to him. (I have a broken right hand and wrist. So, I am not currently much help around the house) It brightened my day, and I think it brightened his, too.

The only iffy element of this book for me was that a couple of characters had a new age edge to them. I would recommend this book to mature Christians that could separate the wheat from the chaff, but would be less likely to recommend it to new Christians or unbelievers.

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

Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee - A Book Review

   

This dual timeline story set mostly in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee is an emotional tale of love and sacrifice. It is also the tale of God's plan for adopting us as His children and the ways he works through earthly adoptions. The author does not ignore the pain that may accompany adoption, but honors the process of working through the pain to find the joy.

Shocklee masterfully allows each character to reveal his or her own voice. She mingles characters who live in vastly different circumstances, honoring the value of each. Her characters and their experiences will stay with her readers for a long time.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Appalachian Mountains from Tyndale House Publishing without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Last Exchange by Charles Martin - A Book Review

   

Once again Charles Martin gives us an unlikely hero who is willing to lay down his life for others, not just being willing to die for others, but being willing to live for others. He reminds us that we should be ready to lay our lives down for another, not waiting for someone who seems to deserve it, but to offer it even for those who struggle through issues of their own making. In this story the object of the hero's service is an extremely rich, award winning, drug abusing, mentally unstable woman who has been emotionally and sometimes physically abused. When we encounter someone who inspires a list of negative attributes, may we, like our unlikely hero, be able to see the value of a human life and be willing to allow our lives to be used by God to assist as He has enabled us.

Charles Martin weaves this story slowly and deliberately, crafting an intricate plot as he moves between the past and the present, slowly revealing events that molded the characters and the decisions they make. Martin is very bold in the mental images he creates. This book may be one that reignites the social media debate over how far can a story go and still be considered Christian fiction. In actuality those who don't have a relationship with Christ may not see him in the pages of this story, but those who do will find places where he is revealed.

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