Dan Walsh's Keeping Christmas ~ Reviewed

Keeping Christmas
Dan Walsh
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800721195
Description:

For the first time since their children were born, empty nesters Judith and Stan Winters spent Thanksgiving without the kids, and it's looking like Christmas will be the same. Judith can't bring herself to even start decorating for the holiday; her kids always hung the first ornaments on the tree, ornaments they had made each year since they were toddlers. Sure they were strange-looking--some could be called downright ugly--but they were tradition. A tradition she's heartbroken to miss this year.

With Judith refusing to decorate the bare spruce tree in their living room, Stan knows something must be done. And his only hope for saving the holiday is found in a box of handmade ornaments. 

Fan-favorite Dan Walsh invites readers to enjoy this nostalgic Christmas story that celebrates all of our most cherished seasonal traditions, especially the importance of family. Readers will join in remembering the things that make their own Christmas season so special.

Review: 

Dan Walsh is back doing what he does best, writing sweetly inspirational fiction that touches home with so many folks. 

In Keeping Christmas we go along for the bumpy ride of what to do when what you knew changes drastically.  Judith and Stan have faced their first Thanksgiving alone since becoming a family. All three of their grown children have moved away and, as many families face, the budgets are too tight to head home for the holiday. As Stan enjoys the minimal fuss and bustle, Judith slowly sinks into a depression. 

When they find out none of the kids can afford the trip back for Christmas it's all Stan can do to attempt to pull his wife out of her funk. Fortunately, a few good friends help and slowly Judith begins to feel a small stirring of hope again. 

This is one of those books that will appeal to those who snap up Walsh's books. Those seeking a warm, fuzzy, feel good read will likely adore the story as well. It's short and sweet enough for a cozy weekend read. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Sydney Tooman Betts's A River Too Deep ~ Reviewed

A RIVER TOO DEEP

By Sydney Tooman Betts

October 2013

Stonebridge Publications

0989690466

BACK COVER:

In the spring of 1817, Alcy Callen and her father visit a step-uncle they have long presumed dead; but instead of enjoying a loving reunion, they are plunged into treachery and deceit. Nothing is as they expected and little is what it seems. Even the man who helps her escape is not the reliable suitor he appears. Alcy is caught between gratitude and fear, unable to avoid her rescuer's attentions or understand the responses they stir. Neither can she tell what sort of man he is or what he intends to do with her in the strange place they are going. Will he keep her for himself or will he sell her to the highest bidder? Of one person only is she certain, but will he come for her before it is too late?

MY REVIEW:

This is one sweet read, good enough to keep on my shelf and actually re-read again in a few years, plus I'll look for more from this author. What made it so great?

The relationship between the hero and the heroine. 

Preying Eagle is seriously da man. This is one hero who will set your heart aflutter and not just because of six-pack abs. He's noble, a trait that's not usually seen in today's men.

The story doesn't shy away from tough topics or real issues. 

Murder. Violence. Abuse. These things happen in real life and they happen in the story, but they're all dealt with tastefully if not gut-wrenchingly by the author.

Lots of action.

From an abduction to poisoning, this story really keeps the reader guessing. No cookie cutter romance or adventure here, which makes this a fantastic page turner.

Now then, I should mention, that there were several errors throughout, not enough to bother most people I assume, but enough for me to notice. There were also a few situations that were hard to believe. Don't worry, I won't give any spoilers, but let's just say the heroine's grief disappeared in record time for someone she loved deeply.

But even with those bugaboos, this really is a great read and I give it a thumbs up. So far, it's on my top 5 list for the year.

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep

Carrie Stuart Parks's The Bones Will Speak ~ Reviewed

The Bones Will Speak by Carrie Stuart Parks
Series: A Gwen Marcey Novel (Book 2)
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 11, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1401690459



Description:

A killer with a penchant for torture has taken notice of forensic expert Gwen Marcey . . . and her daughter.

When Gwen Marcey’s dog comes home with a human skull and then leads her to a cabin in the woods near her Montana home, she realizes there’s a serial killer in her community. And when she finds a tortured young girl clinging to life on the cabin floor, she knows this killer is a lunatic.

Yet what unsettles Gwen most is that the victim looks uncannily like her daughter.

The search for the torturer leads back in time to a neo-Nazi bombing in Washington state—a bombing with only one connection to Montana: Gwen. The group has a race-not-grace model of salvation . . . and they’ve marked Gwen as a race traitor.

When it becomes clear that the killer has a score to settle, Gwen finds herself in a battle against time. She will have to use all of her forensic skills to find the killer before he can carry out his threat to destroy her—and the only family she has left.

Review:

Gwen, a forensic artist, is nearly recovered from a recent health crisis. One day while working in her yard her dog proudly trots over to her with a portion of a human skull. 

One grisly discovery soon leads to more until its certain that there is a serial killer on the loose. And once that chilling truth unfolds there is a similarity to his victims that makes Gwen's blood grow cold. 

Now fully aware that he is hunting her family, Gwen must act to save her life and her daughter from this monster. 

This is a gripping novel that was hard to put down. Not for the faint of heart or feathered friends because there are some seriously intense scenes in this book. I didn't read book one so it took me a few pages to get a feel for Gwen and the authors voice. After that it became a page turner. I do love a good procedural novel so the forensic details were an added bonus. If you love great suspense give this one a shot. 

This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Kristy Cambron's A Sparrow in Terezin ~ Reviewed

A Sparrow in Terezin 
by Kristy Cambron
Series: A Hidden Masterpiece Novel (Book 2)
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 7, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1401690610

Description: 

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor’s story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairy–tale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels like she’s stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy their future before it even begins.

Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future with the man she loves.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped Nazi-occupied Prague in 1939 and was forced to leave behind her half-Jewish family. Now a reporter for The Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, she has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains them and fight to protect all they hold dear–even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

Review: 

A Sparrow In Terezin weaves together the story of two different women. In the present day, we have Sera James. She is getting ready to open her new art gallery and marry the man of her dreams, William Hanover. However, just as they finish saying their vows on their wedding day, William is arrested due to some legal issues concerning the family estate. Sera now has to fight for their marriage and pray she can trust that her husband has been truthful with her. The second story is about Kaja Makovsky, and takes place in 1942, beginning in Nazi-occupied Prague. Her parents make sure her and her sister get out of the city before anything happens, as Kaja is half Jewish. She begins working in a newspaper office in London. Shortly after beginning her job, she finds out the horrible things that are happening to Jewish people and is determined to go home to rescue her parents.

This story was really well written. It didn't get confusing as it went back and forth between stories. I believe there was a prequel book written, which I would like to read to get some of the backstory of Sera, but overall, I really enjoyed it. The storyline kept building, especially for Kaja, and I had a hard time putting the book down as I wanted to see what happened!

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Cynthia Ruchti's As Waters Gone By ~ Reviewed

As Waters Gone By
Cynthia Ruchti
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (May 5, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426787278
Description:

Emmalyn Ross has only a few months left to figure out if she and her husband, Max, can ever be a couple again. In prison for actions that ensured his wife could never be a mother, Max is now scheduled for release, and Emmalyn wonders how she can let him back into her life after all he’s put her through. During his five-year incarceration, Emmalyn moved to the beautiful, but remote Madeline Island in Lake Superior. With the help of a circle of misfit town residents, including the exuberant owner of the Wild Iris Inn and Café, Emmalyn begins to restore her heart while refurbishing her very own island cottage. She learns what it means to love unconditionally and finds that her dream of a house and a home filled with God’s love might become a reality, but only if she and Max can find a way to rebuild their marriage…and win the fight of their lives in the process. As Waters Gone By, the highly anticipated fourth novel by award-winning author and speaker, Cynthia Ruchti, is sure to be the next book club favorite.


Review:

Emmalyn is running to the only place she has left. Her husband has abandoned her. Not in the traditional trade-up kind of scenario but because he is serving time in prison. Emmalyn’s womb is achingly empty, as is her bank account, and future. The only thing Emmalyn has left is a tiny hunting cottage in the middle of nowhere.

Emmalyn lands in what will become a nest that wraps its wings around her frightened bird self. A crazy innkeeper and her unique group of friends breathe life back into Emmalyn until she can breathe on her own. Just in time, too, because she has some serious and life changing decisions to make. As Emmalyn changes and let’s go so that she can embrace truth, her life changes in ways she couldn’t even have imagined. This story is powerful and well-written. The strong vein of gratitude and generosity laps over its shores giving hope beyond the pages.

Review by: Kelly Klepfer

Charles Martin's Water From My Heart ~ Reviewed

Water From My Heart
Charles Martin

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Center Street (May 19, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1455554707

Description:

New York Times bestselling author Charles Martin's breathtaking novel of love and redemption.
Charlie Finn had to grow up fast, living alone by age sixteen. Highly intelligent, he earned a life-changing scholarship to Harvard, where he learned how to survive and thrive on the outskirts of privileged society. That skill served him well in the cutthroat business world, as it does in more lucrative but dangerous ventures he now operates off the coast of Miami. Charlie tries to separate relationships from work. But when his choices produce devastating consequences, he sets out to right wrongs, traveling to Central America where he will meet those who have paid for his actions, including a woman and her young daughter. Will their fated encounter present Charlie with a way to seek the redemption he thought was impossible--and free his heart to love one woman as he never knew he could?

Review:

I've enjoyed Charles Martin novels in the past, however, he poured some serious soul into Water From My Heart.

Charlie doesn't quite recognize exactly how lost he is as he sets out on a journey of self discovery. Actually, he’s on mission to find the son of his best friend after the son gets in the middle of a bad, bad situation. The bad, bad situation comes about because Charlie was careless. And Charlie feels responsible.

The trail of destruction leads to a place Charlie had been to years before, one that is full of shameful memories.

As Charlie immerses himself into the location where he thinks he might find his frightened, prideful “nephew”, Charlie sees the fruit of his past choices growing like a weed in a village of kind people who had rebounded emotionally but were the poorest of poor.

When Charlie begins to feel a love greater than his fears and his regret he begins to understand Water From My Heart and it changes everything.

Martin paints amazing scenes. There is a poignancy beating strong as a heartbeat throughout the whole book, too. The picture of lostness that paralyzes entangled people, the hopelessness that comes from carrying burdens that Christ died to release, the emptiness of working to recover self-respect that can never be recovered through trying to rewrite the past. Charlie finds the hope and restitution in letting go of everything he clutched onto.

Martin was deeply touched by this place as well and he shares a bit about his real life inspiration and the struggle of some amazing people. This is the best kind of fiction.

Reviewed by:Kelly Klepfer

Melody Carlson's Once Upon a Summertime ~ Reviewed

Once Upon a Summertime

Melody Carlson
Series: Follow Your Heart (Book 1)
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Revell (June 2, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800723570
Description:

Managing the Value Lodge in her hometown was not what Anna Gordon had in mind when she set out in the hospitality industry. But it's a safe choice for a woman whose childhood was anything but stable. Out of the blue, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reinvent herself by moving to New York City, where she hopes for a management position at a stylish new boutique hotel. The big city is full of surprises--not the least of which is Sean O'Neil. Her childhood crush has applied for the very same position!

Sweet, romantic, and endlessly entertaining, this romp through the storied streets of New York City will enchant readers. Melody Carlson has created characters so charming that readers will long to meet them in the lobby of the stunning Rothsberg Hotel.

Review: 

Melody Carlson has penned a sweetly innocent coming of age story in Once Upon A Summertime. Okay, Anna Gordon isn't a teen girl, but she's kind of still living that life. She's bunking with her Grandmother and holds a job that sucks the marrow from her bones and keeps her from becoming the adult she wants to be. When a high school friend comes back to visit, Anna gets a wake up call. Marley is living a life that even though doesn't quite fit Anna's dreams prods Anna's inner dreamer into consciousness. 

Leaving everything she knows behind, Anna strikes out for New York and her very own version of a dream job. As she really discovers who she is and what she wants and needs in life, Anna blossoms into her new position and into a new relationship. 

With fun glimpses of New York, and a look into the inner workings of a hotel, Carlson whooshes Anna into adulthood and will no doubt cause true romance fans plenty of swoons. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Kim Vogel Sawyer's When Grace Sings ~ Reviewed

When Grace Sings: A Novel 
by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Series: The Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 17, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0307731332


Description:

When trouble roars into quiet Arborville, Alexa and Anna-Grace find themselves the target for discord and exposed secrets. Can they continue to seek the God of all grace amidst the fog of confusion?  
Alexa Zimmerman wonders if the Old Order Mennonite community in Arborville, Kansas will ever fully accept her. Her family roots here aren’t what anyone thought when she first arrived, but she is hopeful that her culinary and hospitality skills will win the skeptics over. The bed-and-breakfast she’s operating needs to succeed so Alexa agrees to allow Briley Forrester, the hotshot reporter from Chicago, to stay as a long-term boarder not knowing his real motives for being amongst the Plain folk.

But when Alexa agrees to host her cousin Anna-Grace Braun, the presence of extended family brings out Alexa’s insecurities and sets Briley on the trail to uncovering a web of hidden truths. 

Plans for a secure future and the sweetness of young romance hang in the balance when Alexa and Anna-Grace have to face that their secrets are interconnected, binding the two in ways they could not have imagined. They must trust in a loving, heavenly Father and His plan for their futures.

Review:

When Grace Sings is about a young woman named Alexa Zimmerman. She recently met her Old Order Mennonite Family for the first time, and now resides with her Grandmother at her house. They have turned the house into a bed-and-breakfast, and Alexa is hoping her new family will accept her. In the meantime, her first longtime boarder, Briley Forrester, a reporter from Chicago, comes to stay at the inn. Little do they know that his purpose there is to learn more about the lives of the Mennonites, to prove that everything is not as “perfect” as what they portray to the world. While Briley worms his way into the hearts of the people of the community, Alexa is working hard to resist his charms. As things begin to settle into a groove, Alexa is asked to set a room aside for her cousin, Anna Grace. However, having Anna Grace in the house may force everyone to face secrets that have remained hidden since both girls were born.

I enjoyed this story, but found myself wishing I had read the first book in the series, as there were a lot of references made to things that happened in book one. I think I would have had a better understanding of this story. However, that being said, I really enjoyed this book, enough that I would like to find the first one so that I can find out the back story.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Gerard Kelly's The Boy Who Loved Rain ~ Reviewed

The Boy Who Loved Rain
by Gerard Kelly

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Lion Fiction; 1st New edition edition (January 1, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1782641297

Description:

They say that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. They’re wrong.

Colom had the perfect childhood, the much-loved only child of a church pastor. Yet he wakes screaming from dreams in which his sister is drowning and he can’t save her.

Fiona turns to her husband, desperate to help their son. But David will not acknowledge that help is needed―and certainly not help from beyond the church.

Then they find the suicide pledge.

Fiona, in panic, takes Colom and flees… but when will she acknowledge that the unnamed demons Colom faces might be of her and David’s own creation?

This beautifully written and searching novel by poet Gerard Kelly explores the toxicity of secrets, the nature of healing, and the ever-present power of rain.

Review: 

I like a story full of psychological twists and turns and puzzles. This novel has those abundantly in it, and it has more, sympathetic characters and evocative writing. 

A young teen, Colom, begins acting out and his religious father knows what he needs, more discipline. However, his mother despairs that there is something deeply wrong that discipline isn't going to help. 

A crisis flares and mom choses a radical plan to help her Colom. 

The layers of this young man's sorrows, confusion and past begin to be revealed. And with it the deceptions in the parents' lives. A water, sea, rain theme winds it's way through the landscape of this fascinating story of brokenness and ultimately, hope. 

A satisfying read even if told through the least intimate omniscient point of view. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Lyn Cote's Blessing ~ Reviewed

Blessing
Lyn Cote
Series: Quaker Brides (Book 2)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (June 18, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414375611
Description: 

An impetuous love swept Blessing Brightman away from the Quaker community, into the highest ranks of Cincinnati society. But behind the glitter of ballroom and parlor, her spirit slowly eroded in an increasingly dangerous marriage. Widowed young, determined never to lose her independence again, Blessing reclaimed her faith and vowed to use her influence to fight for women’s rights and abolition.

Gerard Ramsay, scion of a wealthy Boston family, arrives in Cincinnati hoping to escape his father’s clutches with a strategy that will gain him independence. His plan is soon complicated, however, by the enchanting widow. Never before has a woman spoken as if she’s his equal―or challenged him to consider the lives of others.

In a city nearly ablaze with racial tensions quickly dividing the country, can two people worlds apart possibly find common ground?

Review: 

Blessing is a story set in Cincinnati at the height of women's suffrage and the Underground Railroad. Because Ohio borders Kentucky many a slave sought the chance at freedom through those generous enough to care about human beings regardless of gender or skin color. 

I've not spent a lot of time studying this piece of our history. And though I know it was scandalous to expect any rights if not a white, wealthy man, the struggle is foreign to me. I can vote just as easily as my husband after all. This is one of my favorite things about historical fiction, that a story can make a situation long past very real to me through characters I grow to care about. 

Lyn Cote does an excellent job making characters change and develop into people I was able to admire. And she brought to life that some of my freedoms did come at the very real cost to others. 

Anyone interested in a rich, deep story set in a volatile time in our history should look into reading this novel. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Bonus Review:

Blessing is about a young woman named Blessing Brightman. Having straying from her Quaker faith to marry a man not of the faith, she found herself in an unhappy marriage. After her husband's tragic death, Blessing returns to her roots, and becomes involved in Women's Rights and the Underground Railroad. Gerard Ramsay comes from a wealthy family, but is trying to get out of the control of his father, so he goes to Cincinnati in hopes of talking his cousin out of getting married, as he believes marriage only ties a person down. Through mutual contacts, Blessing and Gerard's paths keep crossing, though both casual and dangerous events. However, as much as neither believes in marriage for themselves, they can't help the pull that they feel towards each other.

The first chapter of this story started a tad slow for me, but not slow enough for me to put it down. The pace picked up quickly, and I hard a hard time keeping myself from “binge reading.” I really loved this story and admire Blessing's character. She was a strong woman that fought for the rights of people, yet she was still a Godly woman, looking out for people's best interests. This book was wonderful, and I hope to read more by her.

Reviews by: Sarah Meyers

Lori Benton's The Wood's Edge ~ Reviewed

The Wood's Edge: A Novel
by Lori Benton
Series: The Pathfinders
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (April 21, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1601427328

Description:

At the wood’s edge cultures collide. Can two families survive the impact? 
 
The 1757 New York frontier is home to the Oneida tribe and to British colonists, yet their feet rarely walk the same paths. 
 
On the day Fort William Henry falls, Major Reginald Aubrey is beside himself with grief. His son, born that day, has died in the arms of his sleeping wife. When Reginald comes across an Oneida mother with newborn twins, one white, one brown, he makes a choice that will haunt the lives of all involved. He steals the white baby and leaves his own child behind. Reginald’s wife and foundling daughter, Anna, never suspect the truth about the boy they call William, but Reginald is wracked by regret that only intensifies with time, as his secret spreads its devastating ripples. 
 
When the long buried truth comes to light, can an unlikely friendship forged at the wood’s edge provide a way forward? For a father tormented by fear of judgment, another by lust for vengeance. For a mother still grieving her lost child. For a brother who feels his twin’s absence, another unaware of his twin’s existence. And for Anna, who loves them both—Two Hawks, the mysterious Oneida boy she meets in secret, and William, her brother. As paths long divided collide, how will God direct the feet of those who follow Him?

Review:

The Wood's Edge begins in 1757 in the new colonies before the Revolutionary War. The New York frontier is home both to the Oneida Indian tribe, and to the British colonists. On the same day that Fort William Henry falls, Major Reginald Aubrey has a dilemma on his hands. His infant son, born that day, has died, but his wife does not yet know. While she is sleeping, he takes the boy from her and grieves. In the midst of wandering, he comes across a young white woman dressed as an Indian in the camp hospital. She is sleeping, and holding newborn twin sons, one white and one brown. In moment of madness, fearing what the loss of the baby might do to his wife, he swaps his dead son for this woman's living white son. Shortly after, chaos ensues, and as the young woman, Good Voice, escapes with her babies, she doesn't realize until it's too late that the white son she is holding is not her own. While her and her husband, Stone Thrower, grieve their missing son, Reginald is now living with a heavy conscience, though no one suspects that William is not his son. As time goes on, Reginald's wife begins to lose her mind, and his young daughter, Anna, begins a friendship with a young Oneida boy, Two Hawks, not knowing that this is William's brother. As the children grow, the weight of the decision made that day grows heavier on Reginald and the truth begins to come out

I LOVED this story. I had a hard time putting it down. I kept getting inpatient for things to get fully resolved, only to get to the end of the book to find that I have to wait for the next one in the series to come out. I highly recommend this book. It was wonderful

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

Chris Fabry's War Room ~ Reviewed

War Room: Prayer Is a Powerful Weapon
by Chris Fabry
Paperback: 424 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (August 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496407288
Description:

Juggling motherhood and her job as a real-estate agent, Elizabeth Jordan wishes her husband could help more around the house. But Tony’s rising career as a pharmaceutical salesman demands more and more of his time. With a nice home in the suburbs and a lovely young daughter, they appear to have it all―yet they can’t seem to spend time together without fighting.

Hoping for a new listing, Elizabeth visits the home of Clara Williams, an elderly widow, and is both amused and uncomfortable when Clara starts asking pointed questions about her marriage and faith. But it’s Clara’s secret prayer room, with its walls covered in requests and answers, that has Elizabeth most intrigued . . . even if she’s not ready to take Clara’s suggestion that she create a prayer room of her own. As tensions at home escalate, though, Elizabeth begins to realize that her family is worth fighting for, and she can’t win this battle on her own. Stepping out in blind faith, putting her prayers for her family and their future in God’s hands, might be her only chance at regaining the life she was meant for.

Review: 

I've seen most of the Kendrick brothers' films and am a big fan of their ability to deliver important messages through humor and charming characters.

In the War Room novelization adapted by Chris Fabry, I found the Kendricks' wit intact. The quick moving plot line is all about fighting. The fleshed out characters of Tony and Elizabeth Jordan are experts in war and the proof is in quick flare ups and scars left behind. But, on some level, the life they've created, where they are miles apart, is normal. Elizabeth takes on the selling of a home for a feisty little prayer warrior who won't let Elizabeth rest in her cold war of a marriage. Instead she helps fan the flame in Elizabeth to put the armor on and battle for her family

Heart warming and challenging reading, highly recommended to anyone who loves a good story.

When I closed the book for the last time on this story I came away remembering that all is not as it seems. Material success, fame, beauty, glory are often just smoke and mirrors that don’t fool others, more likely we are only fooling ourselves. And sometimes God's best work is to rip down what we've built. God is in the business of retooling, reframing, reimagining and repairing our lives when we get out of the way and stop fighting His every move.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Varina Denman's Justified ~ Reviewed

Justified: A Novel (Mended Hearts Series)
by Varina Denman
Series: Mended Hearts Series
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (June 1, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0781412161

Description:

In a small Texas town ruled by gossip, Fawn Blaylock believes others are justified in condemning her untimely pregnancy. Stifled by guilt, she yearns for grace while the local football coach treats her with gentle respect.

Justified perfectly captures the rhythm and romance of life in a small town, telling the unforgettable story of a woman searching for renewal, a man looking beyond what others see, and a community torn between judgment and love. It is the unforgettable story of broken dreams, second chances, and relentless hope.


Review:

Varina Denman's Justified is book two in the Mended Heart Series. The storyline picks up a few months after book one ended. Fawn, one of Ruthie's former haters finds herself shunned and alone except for the kindness of Ruthie's family. 

Fawn's father and mother have disowned her, not necessarily for being pregnant out of wedlock, more so for refusing to marry Tyler, the baby's daddy and the son of one of the richest men in the area. 

Fawn discovers much about others, what she has always accepted at face value and the truth about herself during the months where she creates a nest for her little family of two. 

Tyler intensifies the pressure and temptation for a marriage that would meet all of the physical needs and wants that Fawn has grown accustomed to. Her parents encourage her to take that step. But her heart tells her otherwise. 

Denman spins a complex tale full of struggle and growth. Her characters are multidimensional and the topics and challenges they face are ones we see played out in our world and churches. If you are looking for a solid story that makes you hope for the characters give this one a shot. 

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

An ARC of this book was sent to me for an honest review.

Sandra Byrd's Mist of Midnight ~ Reviewed

Mist of Midnight: A Novel
by Sandra Byrd
Series: The Daughters of Hampshire
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Howard Books (March 10, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1476717869

Description: 

In the first of a brand-new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands.

Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her...and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an imposter had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca's name, but her home and incomes. 

That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real imposter. Her home and her father's investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”? 

A captivating Gothic love story set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, Mist of Midnight will leave you breathless.

Review:

Captivating from paragraph one, Mist of Midnight had me seeing a couple midnights I had no intention of staying up for. 

Written in a shrouded gothic tone, Mist of Midnight starts with the return of Rebecca Ravenshaw to her family estate. Now, this is a return that is already fragile as Rebecca is coming home from India where the rest of her family perished. She is a virtual stranger to England. When she arrives at her estate she discovers it occupied and that her arrival is met with suspicion. It seems that Rebecca Ravenshaw had already claimed the property and died a tragic not-to-be-talked about death. As days go on, Rebecca uncovers more puzzles and bizarre behaviors, even from the only one she begins to trust, Luke Whitfield, the man in line to inherit should Rebecca prove to be an imposter or show up dead.

Loved this. So dark and broody and outright creepy in places. My historical itch was fully scratched with the social shunning of Rebecca and the calculating folks who watched and waited for her to fail at her endeavor. The twists and turns in this tale offer up a great story in the process. If you love historicals and tense, rich writing with deep characterization you have to give this one a deeper look.

Reviewed by: Kelly Klepfer

Sarah Sundin's On Distant Shores ~ Reviewed

ON DISTANT SHORES
Sarah Sundin
Series: Waves of Freedom (Book 1)
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Revell (August 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800723422

Description:

War is coming. Can love carry them through the rough waters that lie ahead?
It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Handsome and outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. On shore, Jim encounters Mary Stirling, a childhood friend who is now an astute and beautiful Boston Navy Yard secretary. 

When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is discovered, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.

Review: 

On Distant Shores is about Georgiana Taylor, a young flight nurse in World War II. She left a comfortable home and a loving fiance to serve her country, against the wishes of both her family and her fiance. John Hutchinson is a 2^ndgeneration pharmacist who has enlisted to help his country, but finds that he is the low man on the totem pole, and neither him nor his profession receives the respect he feels he deserves. John and Georgiana meet, and while there is an instant chemistry, they both have someone waiting for them back home, and they are determined to be faithful. Throughout the war, they endure some very trying difficulties, not only due to the circumstances of the war, but due to ways in which the lives they left back home in the states are changing.

I really had a hard time putting this book down. It was so interesting to me. I love history, and haven't read a lot of books during this time period, but I thought it was very well done, not only the characters, but the historical aspect of it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Reviewed by: Sarah Meyers

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Max Davis's Dead Dog Like Me ~ Reviewed

Dead Dog Like Me
by Max Davis
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Worthy Publishing (June 23, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1617955248
Description:

Megachurch pastor Nick Gregory's life is falling apart. His wife is filing for divorce. His congregation is questioning his leadership. His faith is nearly nonexistent. It goes down hill from there. When he regains consciousness after a horrific car crash, Nick realizes he is no longer in his hometown or even in the twenty-first century.

Transported back in time to 800 B.C. and into the body of King Saul s grandson Mephibosheth, Nick must quickly adapt to a completely different way of living. Can the experience of living as a another broken man, desperate for God s healing, bring healing to Nick himself if he can ever get back home?

A novel of adventure, redemption, and outrageous grace, Dead Dog Like Me takes you back in time to know more deeply a God who never changes, a God who lavishes you with His love.

Review:

dead dog like me is a book I would not have purchased. I'm such a fan of cute little dogs and there is one on the cover, however, I have the secret aversion to the possibility of animal peril and I just won't go there. 

I receive unsolicited books for review and I generally pass them on to local readers who read for Novel Reviews. Every once in awhile I find an unsolicited novel I hang on to. If a book is in a genre I might read I will always crack the cover and read the first paragraph 

I opened dead dog like me and then read the whole thing in two days. I barely did dishes. I didn't sweep up the dog hair that my beagles throw willy nilly throughout my house. I just read this book.

I also have an aversion to books (and songs) that are sentimental and designed to manipulate emotion out of the reader. dead dog like me had me weeping and not because it was designed to. 

That said, this story is touching and feels authentic. A superstar preacher melts down and loses everything but what's left behind is pretty beautiful. 

It might be one the best books you read all year 

Reviewed by:  Kelly Klepfer

Jodie Bailey's Quilted by Christmas ~ Reviewed

Quilted by Christmas: Quilts of Love Series
by Jodie Bailey
Series: Quilts of Love
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press (October 21, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426773617

Description: 

Taryn McKenna believes she’s easy to forget. Abandoned by her parents and left behind when her high school sweetheart joined the army, she vows to never love again and throws herself into her love for the outdoors and the pursuit of a college degree—something no one else in her family has ever accomplished. Her goal, as a young teacher in the hills of North Carolina, is to leave a legacy in the lives of the middle-schoolers she teaches. When Taryn’s grandmother Jemma, the only other person who ever held her close, has a heart attack that reveals a fatal medical condition, Taryn is corralled into helping Grandma work on a final project—an Irish chain quilt that tells the story of her history and the love Jemma knows is out there for Taryn. As the pieces of the quilt come together, Taryn begins to see her value. Can she learn to believe that God will never leave her behind even though others have?

Review: 

Quilted By Christmas centers around a young woman named Taryn McKenna. She was raised by her grandmother after her mother passed away and her father abandoned her. She feels alone in the world, except for her grandmother, Jemma. The only other person she ever loved, Justin, her high school sweetheart, joined the military after they graduated, and their parting was anything but amicable. Now, twelve years later, it's Christmas time, and Justin returns home from the military. He has no idea what has gone in in Taryn's life, but when her Jemma suddenly finds herself in the hospital, Justin steps up to help Taryn with Jemma's home, as well as a quilt that needs to be done by New Years. As they begin to spend more time together, Taryn realizes her feelings are still there for him, but doesn't believe he could ever love her again, especially with the secrets she's carrying.

I really enjoyed this story. I could relate to Taryn in a few ways, so I empathized with her and what she was going through. The storyline was easy to follow, and after a turning point in the story, I found it hard to put the book down as I wanted to see how everything was going to turn out. I wasn't disappointed.
Sarah Meyers