The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini - A Brief Comment

  

Quiltsgiving occurs the week following Thanksgiving at Elm Creek Manor. The Elm Creek Quilters offer a week long free stay to quilters who agree to donate the quilts they create that week to Project Linus. In The Giving Quilt we get a peek into the lives of a small group of these quilters, learning about their life struggles and the impact the week long retreat has on their lives.

This story is sweet and well-told. Readers get to vicariously experience the value of community and will hopefully be inspired to find and actively engage in a community of friends if they do not already do so. I highly recommend this author and this series. 

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof - A Book Review

  

The Heart of Bennet Hollow is an Appalachian retelling of Pride and Prejudice. The daughter of a semi-retired geologist for the mining industry, Lizbeth Bennet, longs to help her father save the family farm and especially her beloved livestock. Socially awkward William Drake was one of several coal barons looking into purchasing the New River mine. He was, unfortunately, the only coal baron considering the well-being of the townspeople, the miners, and the farmers whose land was entangled with the mine. Meeting Lizbeth had only served to deepen that concern.

Having read The Heart of Bennet Hollow, I have now checked out Pride and Prejudice and look forward to reading the original story. I had always thought about reading it; The Heart of Bennet Hollow inspired me to carry through. Joanne Bischof DeWitt does a wonderful job of showing understanding and respect to a culture that is often stereotyped and belittled. This story of family, romance, stewardship, and care was a charming read. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson - A Book Review

  

The bookstore setting drew me to The Stories We Carry, but then the story was a bit tedious because so much of it never left the bookstore. The theme of our stories shaping us was well-developed along with themes of acceptance and pushing past our past. The main character, Glory Pryor, is difficult to like, and she is not the only one. Glory's husband, Eli, whom she married late in life is, however, is a bit easier to develop a fondness for. Four-year-old Bennett will capture readers hearts; his mother will likely not, at least not initially. The pace of the story is what led to my giving this book three stars. It is very slow to develop, and I was glad when the book drew to a close.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Stories We Carry from Tyndale Book Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Out of Time by Irene Hannon - A Book Review

  

I was in the mood for a good romantic suspense story and Irene Hannon did not disappoint. Out of Time's lead character and her benefactor are fresh as is the story's setting. Giving the main character, historical anthropologist Cara Tucker, severe hearing loss and cochlear implants added an interesting element to the story. Having multiple people with motives for creating mischief, or worse, on Natalie Boyer's secluded estate enhanced the suspense portion of the storyline. The Christian element was present, but not in-your-face. Christian characters lived out their faith but, as in real life, not perfectly. Opportunities were there for grace to be extended and received. Grace refused was also seen with devastating consequences.

I highly recommend Out of Time and this author's other suspense novels. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Sisterhood by Tasha Alexander - A Book Review

  

This dual timeline story is set in 1907 London and AD 60 Britannia. The theme of the book deals with rights for women with the emphasis on suffrage. While I am a fan of dual timeline stories, over 1800 years was a bit too great a gap for me. I was almost half-way through the book before I gleaned the significance of the connection between the two storylines. Honestly, after around one-third of the way through I had begun just skimming the chapters set in AD 60 as I had not developed an interest in that part of the book, and that didn't change even after I understood its role in the book as a whole. The 1907 storyline was quite interesting with a married couple serving as investigators in the murders of two debutantes, reminiscent of Pepper Basham's Freddie and Grace mystery series. I am sure I would have given The Sisterhood a higher rating if I had only based it on this storyline.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Sisterhood from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Let the Biscuits Burn by Abby Kuykendall - A Book Review

  

The themes of this book concerning hospitality being a spiritual gift for some and a spiritual discipline for others, and about the importance of surrendering one's plans, desires, and comfort to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to lead others into a relationship with Christ should ring true with all Christians. While the author does stress the difference between the concepts of entertaining and hospitality, and does provide a bit of information on practicing hospitality in various settings, she largely focuses on practicing hospitality in one's home. I tend to have a broader view of hospitality, but understand that this is the focus she has chosen to highlight in this book. She goes a long way in trying to make practicing hospitality accessible to all and supports that with a collection of tips at the end of the book. Overall as I read, I felt like the book was targeting an audience of 20 to 40 somethings in middle- to upper-income homes, although some of the suggestions were more broadly applicable.

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

The Women of Oak Ridge by Michelle Shocklee - A Book Review

  

I have read many books set during WWII, but none have been anything like The Women of Oak Ridge. This book has a very original plot. Through its dual timeline in the 1940s and late 1970s, the story of Maebelle Willett slowly and carefully unfolds. We first meet young Maebelle as she answers President Franklin D. Roosevelt's call to serve her country after being approached by a recruiter to work for Clinton Engineer Works, a Tennessee company involved in war work. We meet Maebelle as an older version of herself as her niece comes to spend the summer with her to do research on how living and working in the secret city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee impacted the lives of those who, mostly unknowingly, helped in the making of the first atomic bombs, and therefore in the death and destruction that resulted. The Women of Oak Ridge becomes a story of spies and espionage, a story that reveals how easily lines between right and wrong can become blurred. It also reveals the toll secrets and unforgiveness, even if it is for ourselves, can take on one's life.

Michelle Shocklee's careful research and skillful storytelling is masterfully displayed in The Women of Oak Ridge. Her use of the dual timeline to reveal information that carries the story forward and develops her characters is carried out with great precision, intricately weaving the story together. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Canyon of Deceit by Diann Mills - A Book Review

  

While Canyon of Deceit is filled with danger and intrigue, Diann Mills also weaves in a story of pain, regret, and a struggle with forgiving oneself and moving past the past. Through her two protagonists' efforts to locate a kidnapped eight-year-old daughter of a Russian professor teaching in Houston,Texas, they face the elements and terrain of the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, terrorists, and multiple attempts on their lives. But through it all they find forgiveness, faith, and love. This book truly is a wild ride, one that includes helicopter crashes, explosives, lots of waiting, and a tumble down a mountainside. There is a mystery to solve as to who is behind the chaos, and another mystery for us to both accept and appreciate as we begin to see God's using it all for good, no matter what man's intentions had been.

Canyon of Deceit is an entertaining read that is highly engaging. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Dragon's Prophecy by Jonathan Cahn - A Book Review

  

My husband and I listened as the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle read The Dragon's Prophecy to us over several days. We were both amazed at the correlations Jonathan Cahn was able to draw between Scripture, Jewish traditions, the Hebrew language, and the history of Israel to the events of October 7, 2023. The information he provides is easily fact checked and much of the information is not obscure, but is available through mainstream news sources. The brilliance is in how Cahn links the information together, demonstrating the patterns that appear over time as Satan seeks to invert the reality of God and His people. Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NLT) states, “History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.” So, it is not surprising that Satan's actions repeat themselves. When this is made clear to us concerning recent events, it may allow us to see things through a different lens.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Dragon's Prophecy from Frontline via NetGalley without obligation. The book is very interesting. I am anxious to reread the book, taking notes along the way this time through. All opinions expressed here are my own.

A Sea View Christmas by Julie Klassen - A Book Review

  

A Sea View Christmas is the fourth book in Julie Klassen's On Devonshire Shores, and it is just as lovely as the others. The Summers family relocated to Sidmouth on the Devonshire shores after the death of Mr. Summers. In order to survive the daughters, along with their mother, opened and operate a guest house. Their stories and those of their guests make for delightful reading for fans of early 1800 historical fiction. Sarah Summers, the second eldest sister,has been a steady feature in each book. Now it is her time to shine, although she may be the last to realize it. Family, hospitality, and loving one's neighbor as yourself are consistent themes throughout the series with a touch of romance to help move the story forward.

A Sea View Christmas will delight readers with nostalgic Christmas and New Year games and traditions. Klassen's writing is filled with enough lighthearted fun to balance the weightier parts of the story, just as Sarah must learn to balance responsibility and the enjoyment of life. 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. 

The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox - A Book Review

  

I greatly enjoyed the most recent, beautiful, and poignant story by Amanda Cox. As with her previous stories, The Bitter End Birding Society is filled with beautiful souls who are finding their way back from painful circumstances often not of their own making. It is truly an encouraging story of beauty from ashes, beauty once hidden by loss, despair, and self-reproach and rediscovered by being re-introduced to the Creator through His creation. Nature has a way of healing hurting hearts when one allows oneself to sense God's presence and to let down one's defenses.

This story is the type that makes me very stingy with five star reviews because I need something to separate the truly special stories, like this one, from those that are merely very good. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Bitter End Birding Society from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Gelato at the Villa by Robin Jones Gunn - A Book Review

  

It is thrilling to be off on another travel adventure with two sweet friends courtesy of Robin Jones Gunn. There is always so much food, art, culture, and did I say food? And as always there are also important life lessons to be learned and shared. These lessons evolve over time as we travel to Venice, Florence,and San Mamete, meeting hosts who truly understand the meaning of hospitality and generously offer it to people along the way. We are blessed to see the impact that has on the lives of the recipients.

Robin Jones Gunn is a gifted writer, one who touches women's hearts in a special way. Her writing is tender as she ministers to readers who identify or empathize with the hurts experienced by her characters. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Gelato at the Villa from Revell without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

The Union Quilters by Jennifer Chiaverini - A Brief Comment

  

I only recently discovered Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts series and have been reading the books out of order as they become available to me. This has not kept me from enjoying them immensely. The Union Quilters is a clean read that tackles many social themes of the Civil War era. It is well-written with memorable characters. I will continue to keep an eye out for books by this author in bookstores and on the Libby app.

Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright - A Book Review

  

Last Light Over Galveston is a very original historical fiction book. It is a dual timeline story with the same main character in each timeline. In March of 1900 Kathleen McDaniel was beyond excited to return home to her father after two years at a finishing school in Switzerland. By May, she was a lady on the run with no money and no one to lean or count on. Finding herself in Galveston, Texas, Kathleen throws herself on the mercy of the nuns at St. Mary's Orphan Asylum, where she is given temporary shelter. She avoids thoughts of Croton-on-Hudson, New York and the night she fled from her father and the only home she remembered.

Kathleen's circumstances and personality so differed between her life in Croton-on-Hudson and Galveston, where she used an alias. I frequently had to remind myself that it was the same character. While she and her father are fictional characters, on-line research confirmed that the labor disputes while building a dam in Croton-on-Hudson to provide water to New York City and the 1900 Galveston hurricane were both true events. I was very disappointed that the author had not provided an Author's Notes section informing readers of her research and the basic facts of these two events.

The theme concerning where and how individuals find their personal identity was well crafted as Kathleen struggled to meet the demands of society and her family while attempting to reconcile those values with her longing to do something worthwhile, something to help others, as well as to see the value in those she meets in something other than their financial net worth. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Last Light Over Galveston from Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

EDIT - The author contacted me and let me know that unlike the ARC that I read, the final copy does have an Author's Note section with the information I was interested in. That is wonderful!

The French Kitchen by Kristy Cambron - A Book Review

  

This dual timeline story is set largely in France in the 1940s WWII era and the early 1950s, It focuses on Kathryn (Kat) Harris, AKA Cèléne, during the time she was working for the United States Office of Strategic Services. Kat and her brother remained close even after each chose a different parent to live with following their parents' divorce. Kat was much more suited to helping in her father's garage than attending her mother's society parties. Her proficiency with languages acquired at Wellesley College, the mechanical skills she had picked up at the garage, her innate talents, and her strong will made her a perfect candidate for the OSS. Unfortunately, one skill that she lacked that became crucial to the success of her mission was cooking, in particular cooking French Cuisine. On-the-job training had to suffice, and the skills she acquired remained useful to Kat after the war as she sought to locate her brother, or at least to learn what happened to him after she'd last seen him in France.

The French Kitchen is very well-written. Readers are transported in space and time. Their emotions become highly engaged, emotions of fear, longing for things to be different, courage, regret, and even of love and joy in the midst of chaos and pain. This is a gripping story that does not easily let go of a reader even as it draws to a close. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Final Approach by Lynette Eason - A Book Review

  

While Final Approach is the fourth book in Lynette Eason's Lake City Heroes series, one can jump right into it without feeling that they've missed something. This story focuses on Air Marshal Kristine Duncan and FBI Special Agent Andrew Ross. Both bring emotional baggage along that makes them hesitant to enter into a relationship beyond friendship, but it may be the physical dangers they know about and the ones they are unaware of that have the greatest impact on their relationship. Hijackers, kidnappers, shooters, and more rev up the excitement and tension in this romantic suspense story written in Eason's highly engaging style. The theme of coping with difficult familial relationships is well integrated into the suspenseful plot, and shows empathy for those who struggle with these situations, and encouragement for those who seek to extend grace.

I highly recommend this book, series, and author. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Final Approach from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton by Kelly J. Goshorn - A Book Review

  

The Undercover Heiress of Brockton begins as a lighthearted read, set in 1905 Brockton, Massachusetts, about twenty-five miles outside of Boston. Henrietta Maxwell is a young woman of society, masquerading as Henry Mason, one of the top reporters for the Brockton Enterprise, a condition of her employment since a female reporter would not be taken seriously. Her personality, persistence, and the situations in which she sometimes finds herself will endear her to fans of Jen Turano's books. In Chapter Five, things take a serious turn when, based on actual events, an explosion and subsequent fire occur at the Grover Shoe Factory. In her undercover persona, Etta, as she is known by family and friends, and fireman Les Eriksson join forces to solve not only the cause of this catastrophic event, but a string of arson related fires in the Campello district of Brockton. Mixed in with the seriousness of their investigation, Goshorn has written in a developing romance with misunderstandings and setbacks. Goshorn sensitively and respectfully includes the difficulties encountered by women of the time who strove to compete in what was the man's world of business and politics. Etta, like many women of the time, struggled with being all she felt led by God to be while also being accepted and loved for being all of who she was.

I recommend this well-written and well-researched book that so well balances levity and seriousness. I would enjoy meeting the main characters as well as some of the secondary characters again in future books. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Undercover Heiress of Brockton from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Buried Wilderness Secrets by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

  

If you pick up this book because you are a fan of the books published by Love Inspired Suspense or the romantic suspense genre in general,you won't be disappointed. The story is well written. The author's protagonists are very well developed, and empathy is easily felt for each of them. The romance is sweet and believable. The suspense is good, but not too difficult to solve. Even though the book is short, the author does a wonderful job of avoiding an abrupt ending.

If you are picking this book up because Jaime Jo Wright is the author, please set that thought aside. Authors, I am sure, dread being pigeon-holed as much as actors do being type-cast. Both should feel free to spread their wings and try new things. If you join Jaime Jo Wright on this flight, you won't be sorry.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Buried Wilderness Secrets via Love Inspired Suspense via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

These Blue Mountains by Sarah Loudin Thomas - A Book Review

 

You know how when you go to a favorite restaurant and occasionally something other than your favorite dish on the menu, and while it's good, it just doesn't live up to your favorite? That's kind of the way I feel about These Blue Mountains; it's good, but it is hard to live up to The Finder of Forgotten Things and These Tangled Threads, my two favorite Sarah Loudin Thomas books. Sometimes it is important for me to be aware of the lens I am looking through when reviewing a book, and in this case to realize when past experiences cloud that lens. If Thomas was a new-to-me author I know my reaction to this book would have been a great deal more enthusiastic. It does have a lot going for it. Most of the characters are people who are easy to care about and to empathize with; some of the ones who aren't become so; and the antagonist (even if deceased) does his job well, setting a whole series of events in motion. While I have read a lot of WWII books lately, this one takes a different approach. Rather than have the characters in the thick of things, this book allows readers to experience how those in Germany and America viewed and responded to the changes they saw coming, and to realize how the experiences of WWI and the Depression impacted the lens through which they looked. These Blue Mountains may provide new knowledge for those, including me, that were unaware of WWI enemy alien internment camps in the United States. The information provided about Black Mountain College had me searching the internet to learn more. The themes of forgiveness and reconciliation and of moving forward following adversity are well-written within an original plot. So preconceived notions set aside, I do highly recommend These Blue Mountains and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Collector of Burned Books by Roseanna M. White - A Book Review

  

I was enjoying this WWII story a great deal,but it seemed like a fairly typical story of this genre. Then chapter eleven changed everything, nothing was typical from that point forward. A story I was enjoying became a story that I absolutely couldn't put down.

In addition to being an enthralling story, The Collector of Burned Books is a story filled with wisdom centered around faith and the value of the written word. Just like the value of faith increases as one practices it, the value of the written word increases as one partakes of it, especially when one reads books that challenge one to think.

I am grateful that Roseanna M. White has given me food for thought that challenges me to extend mercy even when difficult, and when harsh justice might seem well-deserved. She also has motivated me to consider creating a more well-rounded to-be-read list. My thanks goes to Tyndale House Publishing for providing me with a complementary copy via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Perilous Tides by Elizabeth Goddard - A Book Review

  

Romantic suspense books can become very patterned and predictable. Elizabeth Goddard avoided that quite well when writing Perilous Tides with a quite unpredictable, original plot. Jo Cattrel has been hiding out in the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state for three years, ever since her mother's telling Jo to hide if anything ever happened to her, followed not long afterward by her murder. Having connected with her biological father following her mother's funeral, Jo had settled down into her new life, her real problem being the rejection by her almost boyfriend, well that and always feeling like she had to look over her shoulder. There is a reason for the saying about being paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't after you, and after her they are! Now Jo is ready to take a stand and hunt down the person who is hunting her. There will be a lot of pain along with the danger she will face while tracking down this threat.

This intense story is filled with twists, turns, and dead ends. Sometimes it is difficult to discern whom should be trusted and whom should not. Throughout, the reader will be thoroughly enthralled. I highly recommend Perilous Tides and the Hidden Bay series of which it is the second book. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Wyoming Wilderness Survival by Jill Elizabeth Nelson - A Book Review

  

Wyoming Wilderness Survival is a good, quick romantic suspense story. The romance was sweet and the suspense intense as Tracey Graham; her protector, Callum Mitchell; his two-year-old son, Brody; and Callum's dog work to survive in the wilderness of Wyoming as they flee from a crew sent to murder them all. Callum's skills as a former Idaho State Police officer are invaluable in their endeavor to stay alive as is his knowledge of the area, but being chased by a band of mercenaries while caring for a toddler and lacking adequate provisions certainly complicates matters.

I appreciate romance that follows a godly path, yet is not so idealistic that it avoids difficulties that accompany any maturing relationship. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Wyoming Wilderness Survival from Love Inspired via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.   

 

Vanished by Dr. David Jeremiah with Sam O'Neal - A Book Review

   

This book reads as if it may have occurred just weeks or months in our future. As the price of daily necessities rises along with the temperature, and people across the globe deal with more frequent earthquakes, weather events, conflicts between nations, and pandemics; a group of people with varied areas of expertise work for the United States Army to find solutions to the world's woes. Of course their unsolicited intervention can sometimes be a source of additional conflict. The time these people devote to these efforts to save millions of others takes a toll on their families and their own health, both mental and physical. The tension in this book is palpable, and keeps the reader turning pages. The sense that this may be closer to reality than fiction is its own source of tension, but also one that keeps readers reading into the night. Yet, there is hope, and its source is revealed as the story progresses.

I highly recommend Vanished. It may very well be a book that you will want to share with friends and family. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

A Bookseller in Madrid by Mario Escobar - A Book Review

  

While the prologue and epilogue are set in the 2020s, the story of A Bookseller in Madrid is set from 1933 to 1946, including the Spanish Revolution of 1934, the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Republican Insurgency, and the impact Germany had on the Spanish political scene. Mario Escobar uses his fiction set during some of history's most difficult and cruel times to examine and learn from those who perpetuated the horrors and those who survived them, building empathy for the latter. Based on the lives of two real booksellers of the times, Escobar's fictional bookseller, Barbara Spiel faces adversity with bravery, using books and her bookstore to provide a safe haven for souls and minds amongst the deprivation, chaos, and inhumanity, even while striving to keep her own family together. Escobar brings commonalities to the surface between social concerns of current times and those of the past as his characters seek stability and hope.

While creating a story that evokes compassion and empathy, Escobar also emphasizes the importance of books in reminding society of what it means to embrace humanity as well as the importance of the Christian church in truly embracing and demonstrating sacrificial love. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Bookseller in Madrid from Harper Muse via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham - A Book Review

  

While Hurricane Helene may have pushed back the deadline of The Highland Heist, it was well worth the wait. This fourth book in Basham's Freddie & Grace mystery series is every bit as delightful as all the rest. Lady Astley might not be the most adept at demonstrating the manners of a well-bred lady, but she is quite adept at solving crimes, especially with the assistance of her husband. This time the crime is her brother-in-law's murder with her sister being a prime suspect. Things are complicated further by the clock's ticking on the discovery of a hidden treasure.

The Highland Heist is a lighthearted read. The protagonists' reliance on God is a testimony to the other characters as well as to the reader, yet the faith-based element is tastefully done and not heavy-handed. While it will work well as a stand-alone read, the book will be best enjoyed by reading the series in sequence.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Highland Heist from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. I highly recommend Pepper Basham's historical novels.