Jennifer AlLee's Last Family Standing ~ Reviewed

Last Family Standing
By Jennifer AlLee (Author)
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sep 16, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
ISBN 1426768095

Overview

Twenty-five years ago, Monica Stanton gave up a baby girl for adoption. Now, the thing Monica didn't dare hope for has happened: Jessica has reentered her life . . . and brought a little drama and competition with her. Jessica is willing to meet her birth mother, but she wants the reunion to air on a reality TV show. Monica would rather chew glass than appear on TV. But she'll swallow her pride-and a few other unsavory items-if that's what it takes to reconnect. As if getting to know her grown daughter while competing on a remote island isn't hard enough, Monica is further confused when Jessica's long-lost birth father shows up, complicating both her relationship with her daughter and the attraction Monica has to the hunky reality show host. The fruit-basket upset of emotions, accusations, and regrets might make for good TV, but will it destroy the family in the process?


Review:

With all the competition and obstacles of a reality TV show, Last Family Standing by Jennifer AlLee will have you turning page after page to see who wins. AlLee does an excellent portrayal of emotions in this book. They snap with electricity and are anything but stereotypical. Novel Rocket and I give it a high recommendation. It's a perfect Spring or Summer read.

Reviewed by: Ane Mulligan, president

Novel Rocket

Ane Mulligan's Chapel Springs Revival ~ Reviewed

Chapel Springs Revival

• Ane Mulligan
  Paperback: 274 pages
  Publisher: Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas (September 8, 2014)
  Language: English
  ISBN-10:1941103413

Description:

With a friend like Claire, you need a gurney, a mop, and a guardian angel.

Everybody in the small town of Chapel Springs, Georgia, knows best friends Claire and Patsy. It's impossible not to, what with Claire's zany antics and Patsy's self-appointed mission to keep her friend out of trouble. And trouble abounds. Chapel Springs has grown dilapidated and the tourist trade has slackened. With their livelihoods threatened, they join forces to revitalize the town. No one could have guessed the real issue needing restoration is their marriages.

With their personal lives in as much disarray as the town, Claire and Patsy embark on a mission of mishaps and miscommunication, determined to restore warmth to Chapel Springs —and their lives. That is if they can convince their husbands and the town council, led by two curmudgeons who would prefer to see Chapel Springs left in the fifties and closed to traffic.

Review: 

I am always a little apprehensive when someone I know offers me a book for a review. 

I've known Ane Mulligan for years and she has been a staple and mentor in my writing and blogging journey. 

Ane's new book Chapel Springs Revival is a long time coming. Mulligan has worked the craft and networks involved in writing. If anyone deserves to be published just because she has given so much to other writers it would be Ane. 

But Mulligan isn't just a good writing citizen, she's a good writer with stories to tell that only she can. 

Ane introduces us to Claire and Patsy and their lives in a sleepy little village. But even sleepy villages often have underlying currents and pleasant, tranquil settings sometimes need a little  shot of passion and life. Chapel Springs is exactly there, and Patsy and Claire are treading in marital currents. 

Both women discover that their long marriages have begun to look a lot like the formerly charming town square. Used-to-be, lackluster, dull and barely functional. The ladies, along with some friends and frenemies, set out to refurbish pretty much everything. 

Claire, unfortunately, has a special knack for getting into hot water, so as the clean-up and self-improvement campaigns begin, Claire finds herself getting a little too immersed into the projects. My visual of Claire while reading about her antics is a mental merge of Lucille Ball in a panic, Tomb Raider's Lora Croft on a mission, and Mrs. Doubtfire with Mr. Mom on their learning curves. Let's just say that if something could go wrong and Claire is there it will go wrong in the worst way. My favorite scene in the book is at the end when she innocently has a mishap that lands her in an all dressed-up-and-no-way-out pickle. 

This story is sweet escapism but there are teaching elements that I appreciated as well. After all, I'm at a certain age and been married for a long while and have struggled with some of the same concerns discussed by Patsy and Claire. I mean, reality isn't a romance novel, it's a whole lot more like working late, worrying about family members and different interests most of the time. So while I loved the escapism and the fact that the book is very well written, I also appreciated the depth and realistic issues faced by the characters. 

I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Susan May Warren's Evergreen ~ Reviewed

EVERGREEN
Susan May Warren
Pages 192
Binding Hardcover
Release Date Jul 1, 2014
Publisher Tyndale House Publishers
Series Christiansen Family
ISBN 1414394012

Description

An empty nest has Ingrid Christiansen dreading the upcoming holidays, but her husband, John, couldn't be more excited about this new season of life. He even has a surprise trip abroad planned. He's sure she'll love it. What's more romantic than Christmas in Paris?Before he can stop her, however, Ingrid agrees to spearhead a major church project. Then their faithful dog, Butterscotch, needs emergency surgery, draining their savings. And then--because disasters strike in threes--an unexpected guest arrives, dredging up old hurts.As a beautiful blanket of snow transforms the north woods into a winter wonderland, a deep chill settles over John and Ingrid's marriage. With the holidays fast approaching, their only hope of keeping their love evergreen depends on turning the page on the past and embracing a new chapter of their future.                 Evergreen is a Christiansen Winter Novella.  It’s much shorter than the others in the series, but just as good.  This book focuses on the parents, Ingrid and John.  With all of their children out of the house and Christmas approaching, Ingrid is feeling down and out.  John decides to surprise her with a trip to Europe, only to find she volunteered them to head up the committee for the live Nativity seen that Christmas.  On top of that, an emergency surgery for the dog takes up most of their savings, and a surprise visitor shows up at their doorstep, for who knows how long.  While John is finding himself frustrated that he can’t have the perfect get-away and enjoy life as empty nesters, Ingrid is harboring a lot of anger and bitterness towards John over past issues.                   This book was great, though I was sad not to see much of the kids in it.  It was nice to see a focus on the parent’s, though, and the struggles they were going through.  The characters were very real.  The only thing that bothered me was that there was a point in the book where one of the unsaved characters was very curious about Jesus and John’s character didn’t really spell out the gospel for him.  The touched on trusting in God and such, but didn’t really dig in and explain to him that we are sinners that need a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus.  I wish the author would have taken the time to explain it more thoroughly. Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

A Light in the Wilderness ~ Jane Kirkpatrick ~ Reviewed

A Light in the Wilderness
Jane Kirkpatrick
Pages 308
Binding Softcover
Release Date Sept. 2014
Publisher Revell
ISBN 1401687652

Description:

Letitia holds nothing more dear than the papers that prove she is no longer a slave. They may not cause white folks to treat her like a human being, but at least they show she is free. She trusts in those words she cannot read--as she is beginning to trust in Davey Carson, an Irish immigrant cattleman who wants her to come west with him.

Nancy Hawkins is loathe to leave her settled life for the treacherous journey by wagon train, but she is so deeply in love with her husband that she knows she will follow him anywhere--even when the trek exacts a terrible cost.

Betsy is a Kalapuya Indian, the last remnant of a once proud tribe in the Willamette Valley in Oregon territory. She spends her time trying to impart the wisdom and ways of her people to her grandson. But she will soon have another person to care for.

As season turns to season, suspicion turns to friendship, and fear turns to courage, three spirited women will discover what it means to be truly free in a land that makes promises it cannot fulfill. This multilayered story from bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick will grip readers' hearts and minds as they travel with Letitia on the dusty and dangerous Oregon trail into the boundless American West.

Review:

Though Letitia’s been freed, she can’t truly leave the cruel reality of slavery behind her. She cringes at the harsh life many others, still enslaved, face each day. But more than that, she carries with her the crippling fear that her newfound freedom will be ripped from her. All she has to prove her status, after all, are papers she can’t even read. Papers that can be taken from her, destoryed, or lost, sending her back into bondage. Besides, even those don’t guarantee her freedom, not when hateful patrollers are about, looking for someone to beat down. But if she could get to Oregon, then she could truly be free.

Couldn’t she?

This was one of the most gripping, heart-wrenching, thought-provoking novels I’ve read in some time. Ms. Kirkpatrick did a masterful job with each of her characters, but the one I loved most was Letitia. Oh, sweet, strong, frightened, weak Letitia! There were so many times I wished someone would help you! Shield you from the hatred swirling all around you.

When we first encounter this sweet woman of faith, she’s beaten down, muted by her fear. But holding tight to her papers, she fights for the confidence deserving of a freed woman. Regardless if others accept her or her status. But so long as her confidence rests on those papers—which she can’t even read!—she will never truly be freed from her terror.

In Letitiia we see an authentic mix of fear and courage, of conviction and insecurity, coupled with a determination that propels her forward. And with each step forward, she fights to leave her bitterness behind, dropping it down before it even has a chance to take root. For hatred is a type of slavery she refuses to embrace.

Then there’s Davey, the man who shows her kindness and maybe even something more. When we first met Davey, I wasn’t sure what to think of him. He was quite kind and gentle, considering his times. But even so, he held a fair amount of male chauvinism, at least early on. But then again, characters without flaws, even those that infuriate us on occasion, fall flat. And yet, even with his flaws, for the most part Davey was an honorable man who strived to do what was right. Not that he always knew what the right thing to do was!

Though he did lie and hide the truth on more than one occasion, internally justifying his behavior when he did so. This angered me on more than one occasion, and yet, in many ways, it was his irksome behavior that made him most authentic.

If you enjoy deep, authentic, and historically rich novels, you’ll love A Light in the Wilderness. But keep a box of tissues handy, for this one’s a tear-jerker!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Slattery

Eva Gibson's A Stitch and A Prayer ~ Reviewed

Stitch And A Prayer (Quilts Of Love)
By Eva J. Gibson
Binding Softcover
Release Date Feb 1, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
Age 1-17
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426772521


Description:

After her fiance returns from the Klondike gold rush in 1897, Florence Harms sets about building a new life in her new marriage even though the lingering effects of illness have left her weak and vulnerable. She and her young husband, Will, work tirelessly to clear the land around their Northwest cabin, content with their modest life.

But then a stranger comes knocking and Florence suddenly senses a restlessness in Will s spirit that she had never seen before. When he leaves her with only a note that tells her he will return before their baby s birth, she is devastated, and the illness that stiffened her joints returns. Counting the days until Will walks back through her door, Florence busies herself with a Tree of Life quilt displaying a map of the farm they call home. Doubts claw at her heart as Florence struggles to believe Will s promise to return to her. Will her labor of love and faith in God sustain her as she waits to see her beloved once again?"


Review:

A stitch and a Prayer is about a newly married woman named Florence Harms, and takes place shortly after the Klondike gold rush in 1897. Her and her husband, Will, are trying to set up a new life for themselves. Florence has been battling terrible bouts of arthritis for some time, which makes it hard for her to be the wife she wants to be for Will. When she finds out she is pregnant, despite her joy, there is some nervousness, and too, wondering how she will cope with the other illness she is dealing with. In the meantime, a strange visitor shows up at their door, and shortly after, Will leaves without an explanation, promising to return in time for the birth of the baby.

This book ok, but it took a while to get in to. I couldn’t tell if it was a sequel to another story or not. It seemed to talk about things like I should have already known about them, which was very confusing to me. I did enjoy how the story unfolded, though, and the other supporting characters in the story made it fun as well.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Laura Frantz's Love's Fortune ~ Reviewed

Love's Fortune

By Laura Frantz

2014

Revell

9780800720438

BACK COVER COPY:

Sheltered since birth at her Kentucky home, Rowena "Wren" Ballantyne has heard only whispered rumors of her grandfather Silas's vast fortune and grand manor in Pennsylvania. When her father receives a rare letter summoning him to New Hope, Wren makes the journey with him and quickly finds herself in a whole new world--family members she's never met, dances she's never learned, and a new side to the father she thought she knew.

As she struggles to fit in during their extended stay, she finds a friend in James Sackett, the most valued steamship pilot of the Ballantynes' shipping line. Even with his help, Wren feels she may never be comfortable in high society. Will she go her own way . . . to her peril?

MY REVIEW:

From the wilds of Kentucky to the grand mansions of Pittsburgh, Love's Fortune takes the reader on a grand adventure of intrigue and romance. Join the dashing James Sackett and the sweet yet independent Wren Ballantyne in a sweet and educational story.

One of the things I love most about author Laura Frantz's writing is her attention to historical detail. I always learn tidbits I didn't know, and while reading, actually feel like I've been taken back in time. I had no idea that steamboats were so horrifically dangerous or that there's such a thing as an ice cream fork.

What most surprised me was the elegance of Pittsburgh. Admittedly, it's described as a dirty town, but high society lived and acted as though they were proper British folk.

Though Love's Legacy is the third installment in the Ballantyne Legacy, it can be read as a stand-alone. I'm living proof of it since (dare I admit?) I haven't read the first two in the series. After devouring this one, however, I'll be sure to pick up the first titles. Do yourself a favor and buy all three. You won't be sorry.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Angela Breidenbach's A Healing Heart ~ Reviewed

A Healing Heart: Quilts of Love Series [Paperback]
By Angela Breidenbach (Author),
Studio: Abingdon Press
Pages 236
Binding Softcover
Release Date Apr 1, 2013
Publisher Abingdon Press
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426752695




DescriptionMara Keegan is an uber-successful mother and a widow of three years. She's been chasing success and all the "good things in life" for her family to make up for the cruel whim God played on them by taking her husband. In an effort to be the perfect mom, she decides to make a photo memory quilt, a graduation present for her daughter, Cadence.

She s not yet finished when she experiences a heart attack. While Mara recuperates, she revisits the choices she's made that led to this physically and spiritually broken heart. The memory quilt must be finished in time for Cadence's big day, but Mara struggles with her burgeoning feelings for the man who must keep Mara's business going during her recovery, Joel Ryan. Can Joel find his way into Mara's heart and onto Cadence's quilt?"

Review: 

A Healing Heart is about Mara Keegan.  Being a widowed mother of three children, along with running the business her husband left behind, leaves Mara with little free time for her family or her own hobbies and interests. After a heart attack and a broken ankle force her to slow down, she also comes face to face with having to trust someone else with her business.  Joel Ryan, her new business coach, wastes no time stepping to help out in any way he can, until he finally works his way into the hearts of Mara’s children, and herself.  However, she’s not sure she can let herself trust this man with everything, especially when he has such a strong faith in the Lord and her faith is so broken at the moment.

                

I did enjoy this book.  I liked Joel’s character.  Initially, when Mara had met him a few years before, he was not a Christian and tried to pull some unfair business dealings.  He has since become a believer and has to work really hard to earn Mara’s trust, but he doesn’t balk from the job.  His actions and love towards her and the family show the work that the Lord has done in changing him.  I think he was my favorite character.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Mary Ellis's Quaker and the Rebel ~ Reviewed

Quaker And The Rebel (Civil War Heroines V1)
By Mary Ellis (Author)
Pages 346
Binding Softcover
Release Date Jan 1, 2014
Publisher Harvest House Publishers
Series Civil War Heroines
Series Number 1
ISBN 0736950508

Publishers Description

Bestselling author Mary Ellis presents The Quaker and the Rebel, Book 1 of her brand-new Civil War historical romance series, which tells the stories of brave women in times of testing and the men who love them.

Emily Harrison's life has been turned upside down. At the beginning of the Civil War, she bravely attempted to continue her parents' work as conductors in the Underground Railroad until their Ohio farm was sold in foreclosure. Now alone, she accepts a position as a governess with a doctor's family in slave-holding Virginia. Perhaps she can continue her rescue efforts from there.

Alexander Hunt is the doctor's handsome nephew. While he does not deny a growing attraction to his uncle's newest employee, he cannot take time to pursue Emily. Alex is not at all what he seems--rich, spoiled, and indolent. He is the elusive Gray Wraith, a Quaker leader of Rebel partisans. A man of the shadows, he carries no firearm and wholeheartedly believes in Emily's antislavery convictions.

The path before Alex and Emily is complicated and sometimes life threatening. The war brings betrayal, entrapment, and danger to both of them. Amid their growing feelings for each other, can they find faith in God amid the challenges they face and trust in the possibility for a bright future together? 

Review:

The Quaker and the Rebel is about Emily Harrison, a young woman who is alone in the world during the Civil War.  She is a Yankee, through and through, and a Quaker.  She takes a job with a Southern family, the Benningtons, to be a governess to their daughters.  At the same time, she plans to get involved in the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape to freedom.  In the meantime, she meets the Benningtons’ nephew, Alexander Hunt.  She perceives him to be an arrogant aristocrat who cares nothing for the plight of the slaves, yet she can’t help feeling an attraction to him, much to her frustration.  What she doesn’t know is that Andrew is the famed Gray Wraith, who leads raids on Union Army in order to provide provisions for the Confederates with no personal gain for himself.  As they begin to fall in love with each other, they also start to learn more secrets about each other’s loyalties, and are unsure how to handle their growing feelings for each other along with their loyalties to their cause.

                

This book was excellent.  It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had a hard time putting it down, as I kept wanting to know what would happen next.  I actually really liked Alexander’s character.  While he kept his identity hidden, he was real about himself.  Emily, on the other hand, came off as self-righteous, yet she was lying to the very people that took her in and came to love her, instead of trusting them to help her. You won’t be disappointed in this book.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Sarah Ladd's The Headmistress of Rosemere ~ Reviewed

THE HEADMISTRESS OF ROSEMERE
By Sarah E. Ladd
2013
Thomas Nelson
978-1401688363

BACK COVER COPY:

Patience Creighton has devoted her life to running her father’s boarding school. But when the enigmatic master of the estate appears at her door, battered and unconscious, the young headmistress suddenly finds her livelihood—and her heart —in the hands of one dangerously handsome gentleman.

At twenty-five, Patience Creighton is already a spinster. The busy headmistress of Rosemere always expected a dashing man to sweep her off her feet and take her away . . . but that man never came. And since her father’s death, keeping the school running and her mother happy has been plenty to keep her occupied.

William Sterling dallied his way into financial trouble and mortal danger. When he is assaulted by his creditors’ henchmen on the road home from a tavern, he guides his horse to the doorstep of his tenant, the Rosemere School for Young Ladies. After being tended to by Patience, the wounded William rides off into the dawn—but makes a point to learn more about the lovely headmistress.

As he spends more time at Rosemere, something delicate begins to develop between William and Patience. But that will not deter William’s creditors. With little money to repay his debts, and less for the upkeep of his estate, it becomes clear that sacrificing Rosemere may be the only way to preserve his legacy. But it may also cost him his happiness.
REVIEW:

The Headmistress of Rosemere is a compelling Regency that was a good combination of intrigue and romance. I didn't read the first book in this series, so I'm a little behind on some of the characters' backstories, but that being said, as a stand-alone, I didn't have any trouble getting into the story -- except that I listened to this as an audiobook and some of the narration for the men (as read by a woman) was a little hokey.

Back to the book . . . the characters are believable. You'll fall in love with little Emma, cheer for the underdog heroine, Patience, and alternately want to smack upside the head and/or throw your arms around William, the hero. Well-written and an engaging read, so much so that I'm planning on buying a paperback copy so I can read it with my eyeballs instead of my ears.

And yes, I will pick up the sequel as well, A Lady at Willowgrove Hall, when it comes out this fall.

Review by: Michelle Griep

Robin Carroll's Hidden in the Stars ~ Reviewed

Hidden in the Stars: Quilts of Love Series [Paperback]
By Robin Caroll (Author)

Pages 240
Binding Softcover
Release Date Jul 1, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426773609





Description
Following an attack that killed her mother and stole her ability to speak, 21-year-old Sophia Montgomery has no choice but to accept her estranged grandmother s offer to return to their family home. Although detective Julian Frazier is working hard on the case, Sophia unknowingly frustrates him because her inability to speak thwarts her eyewitness evidence. The fact that Julian is undeniably attracted to Sophia doesn t help either, so Julian hides his feelings as concern for a trauma victim and focuses instead on finding the killer.

Little do they know, the clues to solving the case may be right in front of them, displayed in Sophia s mother s special quilt design. Who will realize the secret Sophia s unwittingly been hiding in plain sight? When the truth comes to light, will Sophia find her voice again? Or will the murderer still at large silence her forever?

Review:

Hidden in the Stars introduces us to Sophia Montgomery.  She is an aspiring gymnast who has just been chosen to be part of the US Olympic team.  While visiting her mother before practice starts, their home is invaded.  Sophia’s mother, Nina, is killed, and Sophia sustains major injuries, some of which will keep her from ever being able to do gymnastics again.  Her case is assigned to Julian Frazier, who is determined to find the suspects.  Communication is difficult, as Sophia can’t write due to hand injuries, and can’t speak due to injury to her vocal chords.  However, despite her injuries, and despite the fact that she is a victim and he is a detective, their attraction to each other begins to grow.  However, Julian doesn’t let this hinder him from solving the case.  If nothing else, it pushes him to solve it quicker.  When news of Sophia’s injuries hits the media, everyone is on high alert, as they have figured out that the suspects intended for Sophia to die.

                

I read this book pretty quick, and had a hard time putting it down.  I was in suspense the whole time, but enjoyed it.  I really felt for Sophia’s character, and admired her strength and faith in the Lord.  It was interesting to see all of the clues come together so that the case could finally be solved. 

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

C F Dunn's Death Be Not Proud ~ Reviewed

Death Be Not Proud (The Secret of the Journal) [Kindle Edition]     C F Dunn (Author)

Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Lion Fiction (April 19, 2013)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00CGZONUU
Description:

Following the vicious attack by a psychotic colleague, and reeling from the discovery that Matthew Lynes is not all that he seems, Professor Emma D’Eresby flees the university college in Maine to her home town in England. Broken physically and emotionally, Emma drifts until, fearing for their daughter’s sanity, her parents invite a family friend to assess her. In the course of their conversation, Emma discovers that he spoke to Matthew over thirty years before, and she concludes that Matthew must be hiding a profound secret. Spurred into action, she traces Matthew’s family name back, making a startling discovery – that Matthew was betrayed during the English Civil War where a clash with his uncle left him fighting for his life. But instead of dying he not only lived, but persisted, growing steadily in strength and surviving events that would have killed any other man. But Matthew also has the memories, and baggage, that come with his longevity.

Review:

Death Be Not Proud is an intriguing read on many different levels. Even without the benefit of reading what happened before in the first book in the series I was sucked into the storyline. Dunn's writing is smooth and tight. The plot is a twist on the usual supernatural scenarios out there and far more interesting because of the unknown. Dunn tosses in some interesting history and the British undertones add a great element to the novel as well. I think I would have enjoyed the story more if I read Death Be Not Proud in order, though. 

This book won't float every reader's boat, of course. The subject matter could be offensive so I suggest reading several reviews before popping it in your cart. I definitely would like to finish the series out. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer 

Tara Randel's Rival Hearts ~ Reviewed

Rival Hearts (Quilts Of Love) [Paperback]
By Tara Randel (Author)
Release Date Apr 1, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
Series Quilts Of Love
ISBN 1426773463


Description
Molly Henderson and Ben Weaver have been rival magazine writers for the same publishing group for years. When both come up for the same promotion, they find themselves in an unexpected competition to win the spot. Molly, editor of "Quilter s Heart," and Ben, editor of "Outdoor Adventures," must switch roles, each working for the other for one month, then submit an article at the end of their quests.

Can girly-girl Molly survive the outdoor adventures that Ben has planned? Can Ben navigate the perils of the social dynamics of quilting events without destroying a valuable quilt in one short month? More importantly, in this he-said, she-said situation, will Molly and Ben give in to their attraction and fall in love, no matter who wins?"

Review:

Rival Hearts is about Molly Henderson and Ben Weaver.  They both work as magazine editors for the same publishing group, Molly being editor for a magazine called Quilter’s Heart and Ben, editor of Outdoor Adventures. When they both come of up for the same promotion, they are surprised at the proposition their boss comes up with for choosing the “winner:” they are to switch roles for one month and submit an article when they are finished.  Ben must take up quilting, and Molly has to take up kayaking.  While they are both annoyed with each other at first, not surprisingly, they begin to feel an attraction for each other, and even begin to help each other out.  
                

This was a fun book.  I liked the idea the boss had of having them switch roles and taking them out of their comfort zone, though I would hate being in either of their shoes.  But it’s fun to see other characters go through it! Molly’s character development was a lot of fun to watch.  She reminds me a lot of me.  Once you get in your comfort zone, it’s nice to just stay there.  And being forced out of it is VERY uncomfortable.  But she was an encouragement to me.  This was a fun book!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Travis Thrasher's Marvelous ~ Reviewed

Marvelous: A Novel [Paperback]
By Travis Thrasher (Author)
Pages 331
Binding Softcover
Release Date Apr 1, 2014
Publisher Tyndale House Publishers
Series Books Of Marvella
Series Number 1
ISBN 1612916236


Description

Brandon Jeffery's summer started out with a bang--as in, a friend crashed his car and now he has to work two jobs to pay it off. It's at Fascination Street Records that he's introduced to a beautiful but quiet girl named Marvel. She's new to Hidden Cove and looking for a summer job, so Brandon secretly strikes a deal with their boss to work for free so she can be hired.When a classmate is found murdered, however, their summer takes a turn for the mysterious. Brandon's friend Devon is sure he knows just who's to blame: the creepy recluse of the town quarry. But the police have few leads, and Brandon has the sneaking suspicion he's being watched.That's not what's in the forefront of on his mind, though. More than trying to pay off his car to his unemployed, alcoholic father and protecting Seth Belcher from the school bullies, he's determined to date Marvel. He doesn't understand why they seem so close and she refuses to date him, but as the mystery behind her tragic past begins to unravel, Marvel finally confesses her reason: God has revealed she's destined to die saving others--and it's going to be soon.

Review: 

I meant to give this book to Travis Thrasher's Number One Fan, Michelle Griep, when she recently came for a visit. 

But, instead, I cracked the cover. And then I couldn't stop reading the book. Sorry Michelle, catch ya later. 

Thrasher creates complex, living breathing characters and puts them in some pretty sticky situations. Brandon, the summer before his senior year, is working two jobs to repair/replace the car his friend borrowed and crashed. Marvella is a new, funky girl in town.

The two of them meet at the quirky record store where both need a job. Brandon had already snagged it, but inspired by instant attraction for Marvella, he interviews her and offers her the job. Brandon then has two jobs but only gets paid for one. But he receives another form of payment, time with Marvel and her friendship. And if the story was just that it'd be sweet and adorable, the end.

But that's not the story line. 

Marvel is loaded with dark and twisty secrets that will rock Brandon's world as she shares them as their friendship grows. Brandon has a shameful secret of his own. And unsettling things are happening all around them.  A former classmate is found in the river and it's not an accidental drowning, is there a serial killer living in their small town? Then Brandon ends up on half the football team's whuppin list when he stands up to a gang of bullies. Marvel finally reveals a piece of the puzzle to Brandon, that she is destined to save people and that destiny is galloping toward them. 

Whew. This is a page turner. It could be too intense for younger teens because of the subject matter. However, those who love nitty gritty fiction should adore this one. The writing is tight enough to bounce a quarter off and Thrasher has come up with a page turner. I was so disappointed when Marvelous ended because I now have to wait for the other shoe to drop. Or shoes, there are four books in the series. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Bonus Review:

Thrasher knocks this one out of the park. Loved it. The thunderstorms. The lurking danger. The complete lack of safety anywhere. Marvelous is one creepy read, but not too creepalicious. I seriously expected one of the characters I cared about to die by the end of the book. Yeah, there are two deaths, but none that wigged me out. Whew. Dodged the bullet this time, but I seriously need the next book NOW. As in why am I typing a review when I should be over at Amazon buying WONDER, the next book in the series?

My favorite character is Brandon, the hero. He's not perfect, which makes him totally believable, but his heart is big. He's got a lot of questions about God that go unanswered. Again, just like real life, eh? I have hope for him, but there's also a certain amount of dread because there's lots of foreshadowing that goes on in this book. I have high expectations for the next one, but I'm pretty confident Travis Thrasher can pull it off.

If you know a teen that likes scary, I heartily recommend this book.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep 

Jennifer Hudson Taylor's For Love or Country ~ Reviewed

For Love Or Country (MacGregor Legacy V2)
By Jennifer Hudson Taylor (Author)
Binding Softcover
Release Date Jun 1, 2014
Publisher Abingdon Press
Series MacGregor Legacy
Series Number 2
ISBN 1426733852




DescriptionAt the height of the Revolutionary War, Tyra MacGregor is successful at thwarting the British Army with her colonial spy efforts. But her sleuthing ways come to a screeching halt when Captain Donahue Hugh Morgan puts her under house arrest.

Hugh is intrigued by this courageous spy the natives call War Woman. She s more daring than most men and is intelligent in defending her convictions. Even more impressive to Hugh is the strength of Tyra s unshakeable faith in God.

When Tyra saves his life during an attack, Hugh vows to return the favor. Before he can intervene, however, she is caught by his superior officer and imprisoned. Soon Hugh s honor, faith, country, and love are all on the line. Can he risk it all to gain everything?

Review: 

For Love Our Country takes place at the height of the Revolutionary War.  Tyra MacGregor’s Father and brothers are colonists, fighting for their freedom.  While they are away, she is secretly working as a spy for the colonists, hoping to thwart the British Army.  In the meantime, her Native American friends and protectors capture and would a British soldier, Captain Hugh Morgan, who is trespassing on MacGregor land, and bring him to her home.  The family does their Christian duty in tending him.  In the meantime, he gets assigned to their home to keep watch over them. Not surprisingly, the two develop an attraction for each other. However, as the war intensifies, and the British become more suspicious of Tyra, both Hugh and Tyra must choose between their love for their country and their growing love for each other.

                

This was a great book!  I don’t believe I’ve read many books that take place during the Revolutionary War and I really enjoyed it.  I enjoyed Tyra’s character a lot.  She was strong and willing to do physically whatever it took to protect herself and her family, yet she put her trust in the Lord as well.  I would highly recommend this book!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Anne Clinard Barnhill's Queen Elizabeth's Daughter ~ Reviewed

Queen Elizabeth's Daughter: A Novel of Elizabeth I

by Anne Clinard Barnhill

2014

St. Martin's Griffin

ISBN: 0312662122

BACK COVER:

From the author of At the Mercy of the Queen comes the gripping tale of Mary Shelton, Elizabeth I’s young cousin and ward, set against the glittering backdrop of the Elizabethan court.

Mistress Mary Shelton is Queen Elizabeth’s favorite ward, enjoying every privilege the position affords. The queen loves Mary like a daughter, and, like any good mother, she wants her to make a powerful match. The most likely prospect: Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. But while Oxford seems to be everything the queen admires: clever, polished and wealthy, Mary knows him to be lecherous, cruel, and full of treachery. No matter how hard the queen tries to push her into his arms, Mary refuses.

Instead, Mary falls in love with a man who is completely unsuitable. Sir John Skydemore is a minor knight with little money, a widower with five children. Worst of all, he’s a Catholic at a time when Catholic plots against Elizabeth are rampant. The queen forbids Mary to wed the man she loves. When the young woman, who is the queen’s own flesh and blood, defies her, the couple finds their very lives in danger as Elizabeth’s wrath knows no bounds.

MY REVIEW:

This is a fantastic read as a history lesson. And yes, the title is super intriguing because Elizabeth never had a daughter...so you'll have to delve into this to figure out why they credit her with one.

The story, however, is pretty predictable. Sometimes that's a death knell, as in my case, but many readers don't mind it, and in fact, like to know where the tale is headed. Such is the case in this novel.

One big heads up...the bedroom door is left open several times. If you don't like premarital sex in a book, then you probably don't want to pick this one up.

Other than those two bugaboos, I loved the fancy dresses and castle life.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

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