Jolina Petersheim's The Midwife ~ Reviewed

THE MIDWIFE
Jolina Petersheim
Binding Softcover
Release Date May 1, 2014
Publisher Tyndale House Publishers
ISBN 1414379358
Pages 383


Description

Since the day Rhoda Mummau was baptized into the Old Order Mennonite Church and became the head midwife of Hopen Haus, she's been torn between the needs of the unwed mothers under her care and her desire to conceal the secrets of her past. Contact with the outside world could provide medical advantages, but remaining secluded in the community gives her the anonymity she craves.Graduate student Beth Winslow is on a path she never would have chosen. Heartbroken after surrendering a baby to adoption, she devotes herself to her studies until she becomes pregnant again, this time as a surrogate. But when early tests indicate possible abnormalities, Beth is unprepared for the parents' decision to end the pregnancy--and for the fierce love she feels for this unborn child. Desperate, she flees the city and seeks refuge at Hopen House.Past and present collide when a young woman named Amelia arrives to the sweeping countryside bearing secrets of her own. As Amelia's due date draws near, Rhoda must face her past and those she thought she had left behind in order for the healing power of love and forgiveness to set them all free.

Review: 

The Midwife is the story of Rhoda Mummau.  She was baptized into the Mennonite Church and became the head midwife of Hopen House, dedicated to helping young women who are pregnant and don’t know where to go.  She finds herself torn between keeping Hopen House as it is and using it to hide from her past, and getting help from the “outside world” to make improvements to help the young women that come. We also learn about Beth Winslow, a graduate student who is still grieving after giving up a baby for adoption.  In her grief, she agrees to help her professor by becoming a surrogate for him and his wife.  In the process, she finds herself falling in love with this baby, while the parent’s decide to terminate the pregnancy due to the change of the baby being abnormal.  Beth panics and runs away to Hopen Haus, hoping to find the refuge she’s looking for.  As we read, we find Rhoda and Beth’s lives coming together in a series of unusual circumstances. 

                

This was a WONDERFUL book!  I loved how it kept taking twists and turns, and you didn’t always know what was going to happen.  I had a really hard time putting it down!  I highly recommend this book.  It was WONDERFUL!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Jocelyn Green's Yankee in Atlanta ~ Reviewed

YANKEE IN ATLANTA 
Jocelyn Green
Pages 320 
Binding Softcover 
Release Date Jul 1, 2014
Publisher Moody Publishing
Series Heroines Behind The Lines
Series Number 3
ISBN 0802405789




Description

When soldier Caitlin McKae woke up in Atlanta after being wounded in battle, the Georgian doctor who treated her believed Caitlin's only secret was that she had been fighting for the Confederacy disguised as a man. In order to avoid arrest or worse, Caitlin hides her true identity and makes a new life for herself in Atlanta.

Trained as a teacher, she accepts a job as a governess to the daughter of Noah Becker, a German immigrant lawyer, who is about to enlist with the Rebel army. Then in the spring of 1864, Sherman's troops edge closer to Atlanta. Caitlin tries to escape north with the girl, but is arrested on charges of being a spy. Will honor dictate that Caitlin follow the rules, or love demand that she break them?

Review:

Yankee In Atlanta is Book 3 in the “Heroines Behind the Lines, Civil War” series.  This book follows Caitlin McKae.  She disguises herself as a man and enlist in the Union Army, only to end up fighting with the Confederate Army as a spy.  After being wounded, she wakes up in an Atlanta hospital, and her secret is out.  Unable to go back home to the North due to the war, she becomes a teacher in Atlanta.  When the school closes due to the war, she finds herself a job as a governess for a fellow teacher, Noah Becker, when he decides to enlist to fight for his home.  Caitlin quickly falls in love with his little girl, Ana, and, surprisingly enough, begins to care for Noah, even though he’s away….and the feelings are mutual.  In the meantime, we also learn more about Ruby O’Flannery, whom we were introduced to in book 2.  She has a job as a domestic, but begins to care for a young clergyman, Edward.  The feelings are mutual, however, Ruby is haunted by her past, even though she now knows Jesus and knows her sins have been washed away.      

                

I was so excited to get this book.  I loved the other two in this series and was not disappointed.  I loved how it tied in the characters from book 2, and even brought in a bit about the characters in book 1.  I had a hard time putting it down.  I really admired Caitlin’s character.  She went through so much, yet stayed strong.  And watching Ruby and Edward’s relationship grow was bittersweet as well.  This was a WONDERFUL book.  You won’t be disappointed.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Rosaria Champagne Butterfield's The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith ~ Reviewed

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith
By Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
Crown & Covenant Publications
2012
ISBN B0097G05F8


BACK COVER:


Rosaria, by the standards of many, was living a very good life. She had a tenured position at a large university in a field for which she cared deeply. She owned two homes with her partner, in which they provided hospitality to students and activists that were looking to make a difference in the world. There, her partner rehabilitated abandoned and abused dogs. In the community, Rosaria was involved in volunteer work. At the university, she was a respected advisor of students and her department's curriculum. And then, in her late 30s, Rosaria encountered something that turned her world upside down-the idea that Christianity, a religion that she had regarded as problematic and sometimes downright damaging, might be right about who God was, an idea that flew in the face of the people and causes that she most loved. What follows is a story of what she describes as a "train wreck" at the hand of the supernatural. These are her secret thoughts about those events, written as only a reflective English professor could.

MY REVIEW:

First off, I'm not usually a non-fiction reader. Oh, I slog through several a year because "they're good for you." Whatever. This one, however, didn't take much slogging because it reads more like a story.

Probably because it is.

The Secret Thoughts of An Unlikely Convert reads like a piece of fiction because it is the story of Rosaria Champagne Butterfield's life. She is a highly intellectual woman with the skill of breaking down lofty thoughts into words that the average Joe can understand (no offense to any Joseph's out there). Coming from a lesbian background, she tells about her conversion to Christianity. It's quite the life changing event.

She offers insight on many topics besides homosexuality, such as worship, homeschooling, and adoption. If you're looking for a fresh perspective on these issues, give this book a whirl.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Heather James's Hands of Darkness ~ Reviewed

Hands Of Darkness
By Heather James
272 Pages
Release Date Feb 1, 2014
Series Lure Of The Serpent
Series Number 2
ISBN 0825442923


Description
When the terror becomes personal, the hunt becomes more urgent

Evelyn Barrett has a new job, a new baby, and a new life--of sorts. Nearly crushed by the horrific abduction and murder of her daughter (book 1, Unholy Hunger), Evelyn is moving on as best she can.

No longer allowed to practice law, she is recruited by one of the detectives from her daughter's case to become a police consultant. Her inaugural case becomes a baptism by fire as she joins the hunt for a chillingly methodical and sadistic serial rapist and murderer.

Her revulsion and anger fuels a passion for justice . . . and then it becomes personal. Her friend and law school 

roommate, Jen, becomes a victim. The rapist has made a catastrophic mistake with Jen: he has left her alive and able to talk.

Filled with the chilling tension of Unholy Hunger, Hands of Darkness explores the emotional and spiritual consequences for all involved when justice and compassion collide head-on with the darkest examples of human depravity.

Review: 

This is the second book in this series, and the second I've read of Heather James's novels. I can't shout from the mountaintop that every person needs to read this book. Just like the first one, Unholy Hunger, the theme of the novel is dark, heavy and almost unbearable. 

However, the stories have been powerful and the writing is impressive. James is succinct but descriptive in her narrative. The timing is perfect with tense page turning moments followed by pages where the reader can catch a breath, or slow a heart rate. James even manages to intersperse quite a bit of humor into the storyline, though it could be considered darker in nature as it's the type of coping humor often seen in recovery rooms or station houses. 

The main character, Evelyn, is brash and offensive and sarcastic but underneath has a broken heart that has begun to heal again. Cheering her on toward hope and happiness feels right. In the midst of overcoming her own horror from the recent past, reclaiming her marriage and rejoicing in the birth of their new baby, she collides with a serial murderer rapist and is thrown back into a nightmare. It's not just a generic nightmare because of her position as a police consultant either, her friend lands into the path of the monster and Evelyn finds herself clawing against the serpent as he attempts to take more innocent lives. 

If you crave suspense, crime drama, police or legal procedurals, or gritty Christian fiction and love a tautly and well written story give it a shot. If you need light and inspirational reading material, steer away. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Jane Austen's and Seth Grahame-Smith's Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ~ Reviewed

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith

2009

Quirk Productions, Inc.

978-1-59474-334-4

Back Cover Copy:

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.”

So begins Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, an expanded edition of the beloved Jane Austen novel featuring all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton—and the dead are returning to life!

Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she’s soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers—and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield.

Can Elizabeth vanquish the spawn of Satan? And overcome the social prejudices of the class-conscious landed gentry? Complete with romance, heartbreak, swordfights, cannibalism, and thousands of rotting corpses, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies transforms a masterpiece of world literature into something you’d actually want to read.

Review:

I was a zombie virgin until I read this book. I went into it with a 1960’s black-and-white Saturday afternoon horror movie mindset, but honestly, this book was so much more vivid. Seriously. If you’re squeamish about innards—namely brains or guts—you might want to avoid this story. I, however, was mildly entertained.

The humor was sometimes a bit tongue-in-cheek and other times in your face, but overall I loved the quirky storyline and the way zombies were blended into this classic. **spoiler alert** What’s not to love about Charlotte contracting the dread disease and Mr. Collins not even noticing his languishing wife is turning into a zombie?

Austen lovers will either hate the author for adding in some unexpected twists to the story or smirk as they might at a naughty puppy, for indeed, there are a quite a few liberties taken within the Bennet family. Loved, loved, LOVED what happens to Wickham, the scoundrel. Elizabeth comes off as an even stronger heroine, and Darcy’s prowess with a sword is positively drool-worthy.

Set aside your prim and proper teacup and give this book a chance if you’re hankering for a fun zombie book.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Kirkpatrick's, Cabot's, Eakes's Sincerely Yours ~ Reviewed

Sincerely Yours: A Novella Collection [Paperback]
By Jane Kirkpatrick (Author), Amanda Cabot (Author) & Laurie Alice Eakes (Author)
Pages 384
Release Date Feb 1, 2014
Publisher Baker Publishing Group
ISBN 0800722043




Overview
In this collection of brand-new historical novellas from four outstanding storytellers, four young women find their lives altered after each receives a letter that sets her on a new path toward a changed life--and perhaps lifelong love. From a Hudson River steamboat to a lush drawing room, from a carousel carver's workshop to a remote and controversial hospital, readers will love being swept into the lives of four young women who are making their way in the world and finding love where they least expect it.

Review: 

                Sincerely Yours consists of four short stories, each revolving around a letter that the main character has received.  Moonlight Promise is about Camilla Renfrew, a young English woman who unexpectedly finds love on a steamboat headed to the Erie Canal.   Lessons In Love is about Marigold Bentley, a well-to-do, single young woman who is masquerading as a man in order to keep writing a newspaper column on marriage.  One Little Word is about Lorraine Caldwell, who gets away from the big city to visit her brother and forget the fact that she has to marry someone she doesn’t love in order to keep her family fortune from falling in the wrong hands.  And A Saving Grace is about Grace Hathaway, who is trying to save a friend from a notorious clinic that promises to heal people, but really starves them to death for their own benefit. 

                All of these stories were great.  And while none of them tied into the other, I didn’t find that bothersome.  A lot was said in each short story and was well worth the read.  I like how each one advanced in time as well.  The first one started in the early 1800’s while the last one took place in the 1920’s, I believe. Very enjoyable book.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

MaryLu Tyndall's Abandoned Memories ~ Reviewed

ABANDONED MEMORIES
By MaryLu Tyndall
July 2014
Barbour Publishing
ISBN 1616265981


BACK COVER:


Something sinister lurks in the lush Brazilian jungle. . . .

It is 1866 and the fledgling Confederate colony of New Hope is Angeline Moore’s last chance at a normal life. Running from the law, she longs to make a fresh start in this new Southern Utopia. But a series of strange disasters threaten to destroy everything the colonists have worked for, and strange visions threaten to reveal a past Angeline is desperate to hide.

James Callaway failed at both doctoring and preaching, but he hopes that his move to Brazil will give him another chance to become the spiritual leader he so desires. He longs to create a world free from the immorality that plagued every street corner back home and ruined his life. And he believes Angeline is just the sort of refined woman he needs to keep him on the right track.

But something is amiss in New Hope: haunting visions, the discovery of crypts beneath an ancient temple, and an archaic Hebrew book, set the colonists’ fears on edge. When one of their own is murdered, a series of disasters leads them to believe God has brought them to Brazil to defeat an evil that, if unleashed, could wreak havoc on the entire world.



MY REVIEW:

A very satisfying end to an action packed tale. Seriously. This could be a blockbuster movie. What I loved most is how author MaryLu Tyndall weaves an intricate web that ties her characters together.

This book focuses on James and Angeline, sharing their journey of hardships and bad choices. Though fictional, every reader will relate to the consequences sin plays out in our lives.

One of the biggest themes that gets touched on time and time again is the fact that though the characters have made mistakes in their past, change can happen. Real change. It is possible to repent and lead a new life, leaving behind destructive lifestyles.

I especially loved the ending. I knew there would be a happy finale, but I wasn’t certain how it would play out. I was delightfully surprised. And you will be too, but you’ll have to get the book to find out!

Reviewed by~ Michelle Griep

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Suzanne Woods Fisher's The Revealing ~ Reviewed

THE REVEALING 

Suzanne Woods Fisher

Binding  Softcover 
Release Date   May 1, 2014 
Publisher   Baker Publishing Group 
Series  Inn At Eagle Hill   
Series Number  3   
ISBN  0800720954  

Description

Naomi King, soft spoken, loyal, and easily overlooked, has a gift. She sees what others can't see. Intuition, she calls it. Others in Stoney Ridge don't know what to make of it and dismiss her hunches and inklings altogether. 
When a young woman arrives at the Inn at Eagle Hill with a shocking secret about Tobe Schrock, Naomi fears the worst. She can't ignore the feeling that something sinister is at work-- something more than a threat to the tenuous love begun between her and Tobe. 

As signs mount, they begin to point to Jake Hertzler, the elusive mastermind behind Schrock Investments' downfall. Soon, events spiral hopelessly out of control and Naomi must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart. 

In this riveting conclusion to The Inn at Eagle Hill series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher pulls out all the stops with a fast-paced tale of deception, revelation, and just the right dose of romance.

   

Review:

The Revealing is book three in The Inn at Eagle Hill Series.  This book takes place in an Amish community and revolves around several characters.  There is Naomi King, who is hiding her relationship with Tobe Schrock, who is serving time in jail in regards to poor business dealings his father made.  There is also Galen King, Naomi’s older brother, who is courting Rose Schrock, Tobe’s step-mother.  In the midst of this, a young woman shows up at Rose’s door, claiming to be Tobe’s girlfriend and is nearly ready to deliver a baby. 

                

This book took me a while to get into because I hadn’t ready the other two books in the series, therefore, I didn’t have time to get to know the characters and the situation, however, once I got going and figured out who was who, I really enjoyed it.  I really didn’t know how it was going to turn out and there were some turn of events that surprised me, but not in a bad way.  I would, however, recommend reading the other two books in the series first.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers