Dark Design by Nancy Mehl - A Book Review

  

Author, and former St. Louis police officer, Erin Delaney moved to the small town of Sanctuary located in the Smoky Mountains seeking a more peaceful existence. She had her border collie, Chester, with her and they had been befriended by the local police chief, Adrien Nightengale and his golden retriever, Jake. After Erin was called to Fredericksburg, Virginia to assist in an investigation into a serial killer, strange things began to happen back in Sanctuary. Was there a connection? Was Erin being targeted, or were the events circumstantial? Readers will enjoy following Erin's investigation along with her friends Kaely and Noah in Virginia and Adrian's miles away.

Nancy Mehl has once again given readers a spine tingling serial killer thriller that surprisingly leads to deep spiritual insights: insights into life after death, into the freedom of living without a spirit of fear, and into the light God brings into our lives when we accept His gift of grace. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Dark Design from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall by Jaime Jo Wright - A Book Review

  

Eeriness to the max, Jaime Jo Wright's signature style, The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall is loaded with it. The mystery of Traeger Hall spans over one hundred years. The stories told here include the years leading up to its closing, and the years leading up to and just after its opening. The question is, will anyone ever know the true stories, stories that include ghosts, treasure, abuse, betrayal, secrets, and murder.

Once again Jaime Jo Wright thrills her readers, leaving them on edge, reading far too long into the night, and then wishing away that spooky feeling with the confidence that all will be made right in the end. She also leaves them longing for her next release. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Bell Tolls at Traeger Hall without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters by Jennifer Chiaverini

  

While Mrs. Lincoln's Sisters is a work of fiction inspired by history, every incident that I fact checked, and there were many, did indeed occur much in the way they were presented in the book. I found learning about Mrs. Mary Todd Lincoln's life both interesting and saddening. I was unaware of her mental health struggles both before and after her husband's death. Jennifer Chiaverini did a wonderful job of portraying Mrs. Lincoln and her relationships with her sisters, her husband, and her children. I look forward to continuing to make my way through her oeuvre.

Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham - A Book Review

  

Set in the early 1800s in St. Groves,England, Miss Emmeline Lockhart, a gentleman's daughter, is entering her third season in society with a still tender heart, no great motivation to attend parties or balls, and a secret. Simon Reeves, the new Viscount of Ravenscross, must find a wife whose dowry can save the floundering estate he has inherited. This means giving up the woman who his heart truly belongs to in order to provide for his family. Fans of Pepper Basham, and sweet romantic fiction of the Regency era can easily guess how this story will end, but getting there is so much fun! While there are periods of tension and disappointment, humor and good will carry the day in this lighthearted story. Emmeline's willingness to demonstrate compassion rather than hold tightly to hurts leads to many good things, even though getting there was quite bumpy. While we as readers enjoy the humor, perhaps some consideration of how we might do likewise would be beneficial.

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

Girl Lost by Kate Angelo - A Book Review

  

As I read, I most often visualize myself within the story. While reading Girl Lost, I found myself visualizing the story as if I were watching the story play out on a television screen with an Alex Rider style of production; well, at least until the final chapters. The story was enjoyable and I was surprised to read in the author's letter to the reader that the science involved in the story was not as sci-fi as I had thought.

Girl Lost is a romantic suspense and medical thriller all in one. Its story highlights the themes of allowing God to use the scars of our past to aid others and how brokenness can create family and community, building relationships that allow people to support one another's healing. The well-written story beautifully develops these themes, and even though readers will likely never find themselves in the particular situation the main characters of this book find themselves in, the lessons found within its pages will be easily applied within their lives.

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

Defending You by Robin Patchen - A Book Review

  

The action begins early in chapter one and never stops until the final chapters. Cici Wright witnesses a murder just after recognizing stolen jewelry involved in another murder years ago. She flees the backroom of the jewelry store where she was conducting an appraisal, taking the bag containing the stolen items with her. The murderer and his associate, having come in search of those very items, take up the chase. A chase that has them showing up at every turn and bringing more help along. Cici's connections hire and send a bodyguard to assure she arrives safely home. Both were quite surprised and not a little unsettled to recognize one another from their hometown high school. Asher Rhodes, once a skinny nerd, in now a filled-out, former Navy Seal who had plenty of reason to be wary of his high school crush. Keeping her alive turns out to be more than he bargained for in many ways.

As always Robin Patchen has provided readers with a compelling, action-filled, clean romantic suspense story. While I am partial to the stories about CiCi's cousins, I am enjoying the stories about her and her sisters very much. I just purchased the first three books of this series, The Wright Heroes of Maine, for my husband, and look forward to building his Kindle library with more of Robin's books.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Defending You from the author without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

The Speed of Soul: Four Rhythms for a Quiet Life in a World of Noise by Tommy Brown - A Book Review

 

This short book gave me much to ponder. I appreciate that it provided both sage advice which I readily contemplated embracing in my own life as well as statements with which I wrestled, deciding whether to synthesize or reject based on my current knowledge. The Sound of Soul caused me to think deeply, to pause and discuss those thoughts, and to consider life changing paradigm shifts. The text centers around 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 in which Paul urges believers to love deeply, live quietly, mind their own affairs, and to work with their hands. Tommy Brown fleshes out each of these, explaining how they assist one in finding their center and steadying their soul. While readers are not likely to accept everything he says at face value, there is much here to learn, and wrestling with the other things brings its own kind of awareness.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Speed of Soul from NavPress via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

In the Light of the Sun by Angela Shupe - A Book Review

  

I have read lots of WWII novels, but very few have focused on what life was like in Italy and none have focused on the Philippines. In the Light of the Sun does this by placing Rosa Grassi in Italy with her grandmother and her sister, Caramina, with their family in the Philippines. Both sisters aspire to careers as sopranos in the opera like their nonna. While they both deal with cruelty, dwindling resources, and separation caused by the war, these things take different forms for each of the sisters.

The author's mother, aunts, and godmother grew up in the Philippines. This story is inspired by the stories they shared about the beauty of their country, the closeness of their family, their faith, and the role music played in their lives, things that helped them survive and thrive in wartime. Shupe also did considerable research, and this is evident in the details of this story.

While it took me a bit to get into the story, once I did, I was all in. I enjoyed the strong sensation of being there, especially in the jungle scenes, and feeling a strong sense of empathy for both main and secondary characters. Much of the story revolves around music, Rosa's training, Caramina's dream of one day training, and the importance of music in their daily lives. Even those, like me, who don't have a great interest in music, won't be weighed down or distracted by this focus. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of In the Light of the Sun from Random House Christian Publishing Group via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

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.