The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz - A Book Review

  

While not a military family, we have lived, worked, worshiped, and volunteered among military families our entire marriage. We have seen the sacrifices the duty members and their family members have made. The Belle of Chatham, more than any other novel set during the American Revolution that I have read, has given me a glimpse of how these same sacrifices manifested themselves as our country fought for its independence. It also brings to the forefront that even though we were at war with another country, families that had resided here their entire lives were divided in their loyalties, much as were Civil War families, experiencing heart-wrenching sacrifices.

The Belle of Chatham is a lovely story in its ability to portray this era in the history of our nation and to remind us of what motivated not only our forefathers, but also average Americans, to commit their lives to securing freedom. As often is the case lovely endings are preceded by ugly circumstances and hard truths. Laura Frantz has excelled in using fiction to bring forth truth. She has developed characters whose shoes we can step into, characters we can walk alongside and empathize with, characters who model lives of faith and perseverance.

I most highly recommend The Belle of Chatham which I have rated five stars, not something I often do. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

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 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. 

The Angel of Second Street by Barbara Tifft Blakey - A Book Review

  

This story is set in 1884 California, largely in the city of Eureka. The female protagonist is a young woman who is determined to share Jesus with two of the city's marginalized populations. The male protagonist is a slightly older man who is determined to follow the path God wants for his life, but must learn to accept that may not be what he had always thought it was. While these two seem perfect for one another, life seems set on keeping them apart. That causes the reader much angst as they can see what's coming next when the characters can't. Isn't that the way it is sometimes in our own lives, those around us can often see where our path is leading even when we can't? That is when we, too, must truly surrender our plans to God.

Blakey has written a story that includes a sweet romance as well as lots of family drama that revolves around opposing priorities and allegiances. We understand how her characters think and feel, but we don't know a lot about what life events brought most of them to being the person they have become. The dialogue flows smoothly. The mental images the author creates are visually and emotionally vivid. The story comes to a satisfactory ending even though not everything is tied up neatly with a bow. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Angel of Second Street from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Seaside Homecoming by Julie Klassen

  

The Seaside Homecoming is the third book in Julie Klassen's On Devonshire Shores series. The books are best read in sequence as the character development is shaped over time leading up to this book that actually takes us back to the sister that started it all. Claire, the oldest Summers sister, saw her opportunities for marriage slipping by two years prior to the events in this book. That led her to making some unwise decisions that not only impacted her life, but the life of each member of her immediate family. While the initial impacts may have all been difficult, Klassen uses this family's story to show that God can work all things for good. She has also crafted a story of forgiveness, forgiveness that is easily and freely given, and forgiveness that slowly develops with time and effort. In addition to these deep and meaningful themes, Klassen livens the family's story with thoughtful acts of kindness, sweet romance, a touch of mystery, along with the possibility of spies operating among them.

The Seaside Homecoming is a delightful read for those who have followed this story from the beginning. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

An Honorable Deception by Roseanna M. White - A Book Review

 

In An Honorable Deception Roseanna M. White tackles a difficult theme, the purpose of pain and suffering, with tenderness and great insight. Through the sorrows of Lady Lavinia and Lady Alethia, and how they each handle them, White demonstrates in which manner one is drawn closer to Christ, and in which one is left feeling isolated and alone. This theme sets a tone for the book that is a bit more serious than the first two books in the series as the case the Imposters have taken on is very dark and the victims are victimized to a greater degree. Readers are encouraged by how shining light into the dark corners can bring both justice and restoration. In classic Roseanna M. White style, the weight of this story is occasionally relieved by the lighthearted acts and banter among the Imposters.

I highly encourage readers to read The Imposters series in order to achieve the greatest enjoyment of this marvelous series. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of An Honorable Deception from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Virginia by Shannon McNear - A Book Review

 

Daughters of the Lost Colony is a wonderful series. In this fourth and final book I have enjoyed journeying with Shannon McNear in her speculative story of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World, who disappeared along with the entire population of the Roanoke Colony. The story was so powerful and vivid that I had to remind myself that, while well-researched, it is a speculative story as nothing is known in history of Virginia following her grandfather's leaving the colony when she was only nine days old to return to England for additional support for Roanoke. McNear portrays her as a young woman of faith who displays great courage and integrity, if also on the untamed side. I highly recommend this book, and suggest reading the first and second book of this series prior to reading this one. The third book feels like a bonus book to the series as it isn't as strongly linked to the Roanoke Colony or the characters we came to know in the first two books. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano - A Book Review

  

I am a longtime Jen Turano fan. I recommend her books quite frequently, especially to those who are looking for a fun, lighthearted read or a book to get them over a reading slump. I will be a bit more cautious about recommending this one. Meeting Her Match goes beyond fun and lighthearted into corny and silly. The interesting mystery of identifying would-be-kidnappers quickly fell to the wayside until the last quarter of the book. I would especially caution residents of Appalachia and those who hold the region in special affection. I do look forward to Turano's next book. She has too many wonderful books under her belt for me not to anticipate another wonderful one.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Meeting Her Match from Bethany House via NetGalley 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. 

When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer - A Book Review

  

I am truly enjoying Barbour Publishing's A Day to Remember series, and hope that it will include many titles. When Hope Sank is the third book in the series and is built around the true historical event of the sinking of the steamboat Sultana in 1865. The steamboat was carrying 2,130 souls of which 1,169 did not survive, many Union prisoners of war just paroled from Andersonville and Cahaba, heading home to relish their freedom. Weimer writes an intriguing tale of saboteurs, spies, and betrayal along with stories of hope, love, and restoration. As was the case with many families during the Civil War, Lily's family is one of divided allegiances, forcing her to make compromises in order to keep a roof over her and her younger brother's heads. Cade Palmer, one of the Sultana's survivors, is a conflicted man, made more so because his injuries make it impossible for him to provide the medical care so needed by his fellow survivors recuperating at Lily's uncle's inn. Forced together by circumstances far beyond their control, the two discover a growing bond in their collective efforts to discover the truth behind the sinking of the Sultana. Readers will enjoy collecting clues and making inferences along with Lily and Cade.

I enjoyed this book very much and am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron - A Book Review

    

While this book took a bit to pull me in, once it did, I was completely immersed. The book is a dual timeline story, with most of the same major characters in each timeline. The earlier timeline occurs leading up to and during the First World War, the second during the Second World War. Young Charlotte longs for freedom from society's expectations, including the right to marry outside of one's class. The more mature Charlotte has raised a strong, independent daughter who has many more freedoms and choices available to her. Young Amos Darby, a tenant farmer may not agree with class restrictions, but has more readily accepted them. He is a man who loves books and a man of integrity. The more mature Amos is a man both physically and mentally damaged by the experience of war, a man who seeks to anonymously look out for those he loves while dismissing his own needs and desires.

Please take time to read the Author's Note at the end of the book. As always Cambron has thoroughly researched her setting and its history. It is interesting to see how well she has woven facts into her fictional story. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The British Booksellers from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Knowing You by Tracie Peterson - A Book Review

 

Knowing You is the third book in Tracie Peterson's Pictures of the Heart series set in Seattle at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909. While the characters refer to events that took place in the first two books of the series, Knowing You does work well as a stand-alone read. This time with the Camera Girls working for Fisher Photography, we focus on May Parker, a young woman of Japanese-American descent. May touches up photographs with paint to colorize attendees' memories of the exposition. May does not feel Japanese enough or white enough as she has rarely been accepted by either culture due to prevalent prejudices of the time. A chance encounter with a dear childhood friend, Lee Munro, has the potential of making May feel less alone in the world, as does her growing friendships with the Camera Girls.

Tracie Peterson has addressed the themes of racial prejudice and forgiveness in a way that is easily translated into today's society. She has created memorable characters using plain, simple language. I recommend this book to historical fiction fans who want a book with important themes and that is written with an emphasis on hope. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Knowing You from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Letters From My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse - A Book Review

  

Set in Alabama in the early 1900s, Letters From My Sister tells the story of the strong relationship between a prominent farming family and the family who had served them in so many ways over the decades. It also tells the story of two closely knit sisters who were quite different one from the other, and whose faith and love never wavered. Then nearing the halfway point of the story it morphs into a mystery whose solution appears to be unthinkable. It is also at this point that I became so captivated that I was unable to walk away from the book for any longer than absolutely necessary. The one thing that absolutely stands out in the book is Luesse's character development. She creates characters that readers feel like they truly have come to know on a deeply personal level. I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Letters From My Sister from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

In the Shelter of Hollythorne House by Sarah E. Ladd - A Book Review

  

In the Shelter of Hollythorne House is set in Yorkshire, England in the early 19^th century. Anthony Welbourne had survived the injuries he received fighting in America to return to England and begin a career as a thief-taker. His ultimate goal though was to save enough of his earnings to repair his late uncle's mill and get it back into production. Anthony did not allow himself the luxury of dwelling on thoughts of the beautiful woman he had walked away from when he went off to fight, especially since he learned that she had married during his absence. Charlotte Prior's father died believing he had provided for his only daughter by placing her into the loving hands of Roland Prior. Unfortunately, Roland's hands were more controlling and abusive than loving. Now that he had died unexpectedly Charlotte was totally focused on breaking ties with the Prior family and raising her son in a loving, nurturing environment far away from his uncle's influence. The same uncle hired Anthony Welbourne and his colleague to keep watch over Charlotte and her son, supposedly to insure his nephew's safety. Danger might be lurking in very unexpected places.

I truly enjoyed Charlotte and Anthony's story. It is fast paced with believable dialogue and settings that help define the mood of the story. The protagonists are relatable, and the antagonists sinister. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of In the Shelter of Hollythorne House from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Ladies of the Lake by Cathy Gohlke - A Book Review

  

This dual timeline novel follows Adelaide Rose MacNeil and her sisters of the heart, dear friends from the Lakeside Ladies Academy, during their time at the academy from 1905 until 1917, a few years after their graduation, and then again during 1935 as Adelaide's daughter prepares to graduate from the academy. Cathy Gohlke is a master storyteller. No one that I have read exceeds her ability to withhold information, revealing it at just the right moment, at a time that changes everything you thought you knew about the story and its characters. She also is an expert in character development and relationship building between her characters. When she brings the story to a climax, the lesson demonstrated is one worthy of space in the reader's heart.

I am very grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Ladies of the Lake from Tyndale House Publishing via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

This Is Where It Ends by Cindy K. Sproles - A Book Review

  

I selected this book by an author that was unknown to me because of its setting in the mountains of Kentucky in the early 1900s. I am glad I took the risk, and will be on the lookout for other books by Cindy K. Sproles. This Is Where It Ends is a multi-themed story which deals with the importance of considering well before making a promise, the importance of connecting with others in one's community, and the value of the elderly. These themes spring from a delightful story that is filled with both chuckles and tears. Sproles does a marvelous job with character development, truly capturing the mountain spirit in Minerva Jane Jenkins, and the gentle spirits of Delano Rankin. The story left me reminded of and marveling in God's perfect timing in our lives, even the times when it feels like just the opposite.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of This Is Where It Ends from Revell via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.