Rocky Mountain Journey by Misty M. Beller - A Book Review

  

I have read several of Misty Beller's books, but not the first two books in this series, Sisters of the Rockies. Rocky Mountain Journey worked wonderfully as a stand-alone read. The story will resonate with those who have at some point in their life felt forgotten by God, or who have wondered if He really cares. Those who have never experienced those doubts will still appreciate the soul searching that accompanies them and the joy of discovering God's presence and a life abiding in Him.

This story takes place in 1839 as Faith decides she can wait no longer to do the task her father asked of her on his deathbed, to locate the native woman who once saved his life and to return a family heirloom to her. Faith had no idea of the perils that she would encounter as she set out upon this journey without telling her sisters of her true intentions. The author does a great job with aiding her readers to feel present in the setting, a setting as dangerous as it is beautiful.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Rocky Mountain Journey from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes - A Book Review

  

My heart is full. It will be challenging to leave the world of Mercy Peak and move on to another land in another book. Mercy Peak is where I long to linger. I wish that there was a genre for books that impact wisdom, for fiction that speaks deep truths. Born of Gilded Mountains belongs there, along with its predecessors that were birthed from their creator, Amanda Dykes.

I listened to Born of Gilded Mountains using the text-to-speech function on my Kindle as this is a busy time of the year tending the garden and dealing with its bounty. It took me a bit to figure out the book's structure. The story is enhanced by the inclusion of parts of a screenplay, excerpts from field notes belonging to a Hollywood biographer, excerpts of letters from two young pen pals, quotes, and words from a young girl's lexicon. These inclusions along with memories and flashbacks work to make Born of Gilded Mountains a multi-timeline story. These many parts come together to make a whole that is a gift, similar to being gifted a quilt that is as much art as comfort.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Bitter and Sweet by Rhonda McKnight - A Book Review

  

Bitter and Sweet is a beautiful piece of women's fiction with a wholesome message. It deals with a wide variety of relationship issues, some of which are not often dealt with in Christian fiction novels. It is a dual-timeline story that focuses on Tabitha Cooper and her great-great-granddaughters. Tabitha was a dark skinned black woman living in a time and place where light skin was prized. While that caused enough complications, she also was the victim of a smooth-talking older man who separated her from her family and made her dependent upon him. Four generations later one great-great-granddaughter is widowed and homeless, her sister going through a divorce and trying to cope with depression on her own. The sisters' relationship is tenuous at best, both continuing to deal with the aftermath of their mother's death years ago.

The character development in this story is masterfully accomplished. The storyline is realistic, and readers will empathize with the main characters, cheering them on as they develop into the strong women they are meant to be. Hopefully some may find inspiration for their own journey to heal relationships and to develop inner strength. 

The Forgotten Names by Mario Escobar - A Book Review

  

This work of historical fiction is a dual-timeline story based on the rescue of 108 children from the Vénissieux internment camp on the outskirts of Lyon, in the Free Zone of France in 1942, and the experience of Valérie Portheret, a French historian who, after discovering a box with the children's files, spent more than twenty-five years finding most of those children and giving them back their true identities. The author's notes on the true events at the end of the book are as fascinating as the story he has written. The novel more thoroughly covers the 1942 storyline, and I enjoyed learning more about Ms Portheret. I enjoy Mario Escobar's writing style, and appreciate the work of his translator, Gretchen Abernathy, in making his novels available in English. His writing is crisp and he truly embraces “show don't tell” in getting the emotions of his characters across to his readers.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Forgotten Names from Harper Muse without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Hudson Collection by Jocelyn Green - A Book Review

  

Elsa Reisner is an ornithologist with the American Museum of Natural History in New York City in the mid-1920s. She was surprised when her job took her to an old estate on the Hudson River to examine a large collection of stuffed birds that had been willed to the museum. While her job was to determine the condition of the birds, Elsa became involved in so much more, including the lives of the gardener and her daughter. Luke Dupont worked for the family architectural salvage company. He was working at the estate dissembling rooms to later be sold to interested clients. His plans had not included becoming involved with a young ornithologist and her plans to help an aging gardener and her special needs daughter, plans that include solving the mystery of a missing medieval aviary worth a great deal of money.

Jocelyn Green's latest series, On Central Park, is wonderful with great intrigue and suspense. The actual historical events add so much to the drama of the stories. This second book is equally as good as the first. The tension between the main characters and their friends, and the less compassionate and far more greedy characters in the story causes a great deal of angst for Green's readers, the good kind, the kind that compels one to keep reading long after they should be in bed asleep.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Hudson Collection from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Hidden in the Night by Elizabeth Goddard - A Book Review

   

This conclusion to Goddard's Missing in Alaska series is an adventurous story. It even includes a storyline involving a lost manuscript written by the Alaska adventure writer Jack London, along with storylines about a missing granddaughter, a murdered uncle, blackmail, sabotage, and black ops operators, along with a touch of romance. This book has it all! Readers will be compelled to keep reading until all the facts are sorted out, and there are so many facts that they muddy the waters more than clear them up. The book is written in typical Goddard fashion, and her fans won't be disappointed.

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