“But when my life fell apart, Mirette helped me pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Because that is what we southern women do for one anot“But when my life fell apart, Mirette helped me pick up the pieces and glue them back together. Because that is what we southern women do for one another. We pull up our stockings, forgive one another, and hold our friends close no matter what. Understood?”
Welcome back to the 1950s. It is a time of huge department stores, and women are starting to work outside the home. Still, a majority of women are housewives. Segregation is still in effect. The Women of Wynton’s by Donna Mumma brings all these things into sharp focus.
Four very different women are brought together through Wynton’s department store. Audrey is the secretary to Mr. Wynton, the store owner. Having been away from Levy City, FL for many years in NYC, Audrey is back, in a place of authority, and few of the store employees like her. Gigi is rough around the edges, works in the cafeteria, and feels that she doesn’t measure up to those around her. Mary Jo is a housewife and mother who must work because of her husband’s disabling accident. Her dearest wish would be to stay home with her daughters. And lastly, Vivien is an older woman who has a successful wedding salon inside of Wynton’s. Yet, Vivien is feeling like some may want her replaced with a more youthful salon owner.
When we meet Audrey, she is rich, educated, and traveled, but unliked. However, the interactions we see her have with others like Nelson, Mr. Wynton, and Mary Jo do not match the vicious rumors concerning her that fly faster than super sonic jets around the store. All the gossip going around makes me sick. One can see that there are two diametrically opposed sides in this battle- yet some of the workers can’t seem to decide which side of the fence to land on. I wondered why the women aren’t better judges of character- and then realized that real life is so often like that! Sometimes the truth is hard to ferret out. “People aren’t always what they seem when you’re standing too close.”
Some of the characters I just downright despised. Will poetic justice have its way, and the guilty be caught, or will the schemers be successful? One character surprised me! Plot twist! It was a good one!
I appreciated the look at segregation, though it was painful. To realize that some people couldn’t have the same rights as others based on skin color. Yet, others knew that was wrong, but were afraid to make their voice heard and buck the system.
Mumma does a good job of keeping the mystery going until very near the end. While you may figure out who the culprit is, the question quickly becomes one of suspense, will they be caught in time? I was on pins and needles, trying not to bite my fingernails as we closed out the novel.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Sure you made some mistakes in your life, but who cares? God forgives all of us, rich or poor.”
“It’s 1955. Things shouldn’t be that archaic.” “Lotta things not the way they should be right now.”
“Avoiding foolishness doesn’t make it stop.”...more
“‘As they bury their roots in this giant of the past, all of the goodness and accomplishments of this tree pass on to the next generation—a rich inh“‘As they bury their roots in this giant of the past, all of the goodness and accomplishments of this tree pass on to the next generation—a rich inheritance of nutrients. Everything it worked for in its life now strengthens those that follow.’She glanced at Aunt Marion. ‘One generation, leading the way for the next and giving them the strength and courage to stand tall.’”
This was my first experience reading a Karen Barnett book. I read for her name recognition as an author of national parks novels. After reading Where Trees Touch the Sky, my expectations on out will include not only great scenic vistas, their smells, atmospheric majesty, and history, but the stories of the complex humans involved. I read Where Trees Touch the Sky because it is a dual timeline, and I enjoy seeing an author tie the two times together.
I enjoyed the seventies portrayal, and unfortunately, can remember enough of the era to say, “right on,” Miss Barnett, your depiction there is “so hip!”
I loved that June, a polio victim, works twice as hard to be given a chance at jobs and other opportunities that people without those issues cannot really comprehend. What I loved most about June, though, was that people saw her intense love for nature and the Redwoods in her talks and walks and her enthusiasm transformed her. Do you have a belief, a cause, or a job that transforms you when the topic arises?
A major lesson of the book is that things, whether people or history, are never as straightforward and simple as they seem. Becoming stoked about a foray into the past history of the trees, June and Adam become aware that giant trees can cast giant shadows that are hard to escape.
In summary, I loved Where Trees Touch the Sky. It is by turns historic, romantic, and faith-filled. Its characters are brave, self-sacrificing, ambitious, yet selfish and deeply flawed at crucial times. What a great movie this would make!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and Just Read Tours. I also bought my own paperback for the keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“The trees wouldn’t survive without the web of life in which they reside—fungi in their roots, lichens in the treetops. The big and the small, weak and strong, all relying on one another. Just as the Good Lord intended. Redwoods aren’t strong simply because they’ve got fancy genetics. It’s because they work together, holding tight to the roots of their neighbors.”
“We all fall down; it’s just important that we keep getting back up.”
“‘If you want to understand who God is, you got to whittle away all the added-on stuff that isn’t Him.’ Mr. Wheeler dug the knife in a little deeper. ‘Chip off all the layers of rules and good deeds people have been trying to add for centuries, and you’ll find His grace waiting for you there.’”
“She’d been chosen because of her disability. Just once, she’d like to be chosen because of who she was or what she could accomplish instead of being viewed as nothing more than a girl on crutches. Was that too much to ask?”...more
“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the s“Why can’t it be normal to be varied and different? In a world full of colors and shapes and backgrounds, who decided we were all supposed to be the same?”
Oh, Rachel Fordham! I don’t know which of your characters in Beyond Ivy Walls I love most!!
I love Sadie because she refuses to gossip meanly, works hard, and is determined to support her family, no matter the cost to herself. She is always putting others first. Whether she is in the feather duster factory or in the big house, she is looking out for others and has a strong sense of duty. Plus, she knows that people are more than meets the eye. “People are much like plants. There is so much more to them that cannot be seen. Ambitions and dreams. Fears and hopes. Buried beneath the soil, overlooked, but vital . . .”
For Otis’s part, I love him for the horrors he endured as a boy, the actions and attitudes that he should have been safe from, occurring in his own home. Yet, he returned. He struggles with staying, but who wouldn’t? And he discovers as he opens up to Sadie and their friendship develops, that he can challenge her in her weak spots, too. And what he does for Sadie!
Leon and Mildred- I love them because they are like catalysts in a slow chemical reaction. Loving Otis, seeing the real man, encouraging both Otis and Sadie as they learn to tolerate each other, making the big house a pleasant place to be.
The mystery is well-played and adds a beautiful counterpoint to the storyline. All in all, I am just plain in love with this Beauty and the Beast retelling. *Sigh*
I highly recommend this Christian historical romance novel. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy!
I received a copy of the book from Just Read Tours via NetGalley. I also purchased my own Kindle copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Unwanted. It was a label no child, no person, should have.”
“Just remember there is more to you than what happened in the past. I’ve seen pieces of your heart—others will too. Come and meet my family and you can see pieces of mine.”
“beside the grief was happiness. Somehow, pain and joy were walking side by side. He did not understand it, but he felt it.”
“Love, acceptance, abandonment, trust. He wanted to run from it all and in the same breath to make sense of the scattered pieces and find peace.”
“It’s a shame, the way we shun when we should rally around those who struggle. And no matter how others behave, in the pit of their stomachs, I think they know it too.”...more
“I will capture your heart, Ahinoam bat Toren, no matter how hard you run.”
Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, by the Biblical fiction queen Mesu Andrews, is“I will capture your heart, Ahinoam bat Toren, no matter how hard you run.”
Brave: The Story of Ahinoam, by the Biblical fiction queen Mesu Andrews, is a remarkable novel that sews together Scripture and “what might have been.” The narrator alternates between Ahinoam and David, enough so I believe both men and women could enjoy this saga of David and his rag-tag band of malcontents in the desert. Much strategy, some conflicts in the camp and without, action aplenty, and a good look at the land of Israel all make this a compelling read. Can Ahinoam, an outsider, join the ranks, and more importantly, declare allegiance to the king-to-be’s heart?
Much research of the land, the times, and the customs of the various cultures is very evident, enriching the perilous journey as David flees from Saul. We see not only Ahinoam’s romance,but a loyal, steadfast group of followers who are threatened by thirst, hunger, and poverty as they protect the man they believe is God’s anointed. Andrews offers plausible ideas for David’s rejection within his own family. Psalms are woven into the story as well as other Scriptures that tell of David’s time running from Saul.
I both loved and wanted to cry when David and his family killed the sheep for Passover in the desert. They had kept this perfect lamb in the “home” for four days, until it was like a pet. Then, it was time to sacrifice it, a true heart sacrifice as everyone now loved the lamb giving its life for them.
The hardest part of the story for me, was the acceptance of multiple wives. Whether it is the culture, or whether it seems like it is not in God’s perfect will for there to be more than two people in a marriage, Ahinoam is warned by different people before she makes her decision. “Let no man—or woman—ever question your position or God’s love for you. You have the courage of a warrior. But to live as a royal wife, you must be brave enough to forgive a thousand times simply because your husband wills it. You must have the mettle to let a gentle reply deflect criticism. And, to maintain a peaceful royal house and your self-respect, you must fight the most formidable enemy of all—the other women who will bear David’s children.” Ahinoam is certainly going to need to realize David’s humanity will fail at some point. Every married person needs to remember this: “So, remember the only One who never leaves you, never betrays, never abandons, never dies.”
Which leads me to mention that Abigail appears in the story, bringing hope, turmoil, and help. I was disappointed that we don’t see much of Abigail and her story seems so truncated. But Andrews offers a prequel “Abigail” found by subscribing to her newsletter. I was much happier after reading that.
Still, I have to think that a family with multiple wives will have a few more problems to come. I’m sure we will see more of this possible conflict of the hearts in the following books, including the next book about Maakah.
I received a copy of the book from Just Reads and Netgalley. I also purchased my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Do you trust God’s anointed leader with the authority to make decisions that differ from your own will and judgment?”
“rebuilding the relationship meant she took on the far more difficult task of choosing to resist bitterness whenever memories rekindled the hurt.”
“I will sometimes lead my people into hard places but never into known danger. Yahweh does the same… The barrenness strengthens and shapes us into what the Lord wants us to become.”
“Sometimes we need to worship God even more than God needs our worship.”...more
“‘Would you consider marriage, Miss Dean? To me’…He not only had said the words, he was implying the Lord wanted him to do so.”
*Sigh.* There is someth“‘Would you consider marriage, Miss Dean? To me’…He not only had said the words, he was implying the Lord wanted him to do so.”
*Sigh.* There is something so romantic about the turn of the century (early 1900s) and the people who lived in the hollers and mountains of Kentucky.
Ann H. Gabhart spins her tale, The Song of Sourwood Mountain, and soon you are caught up in its melodic web. The heart and soul of the people of that era rise hauntingly to the forefront of a hard life. The people are hard-working, fiercely independent, and suspicious of strangers who are “ brought in” from the outside. They rally around their own and protect secrets that shouldn’t escape the hills and hollers.
It is into this world that Mira Dean, a young teacher, enters, very reluctantly, as part of a marriage of convenience. Gordon Covington has started a church and a school. He is the pastor, but he desperately needs a teacher. And he thinks God is telling him Mira, a former acquaintance, is the one.
Mira tries to run away from the idea, but boy, does she resemble Jonah of the Bible as God places roadblock after roadblock in her path, until finally, as Mira consults her erstwhile landlady, Miss Ophelia, Mira tells the woman Gordon’s approach to the issue and faith in general: “He claims that sometimes the Lord expects a man to step onto a path that is thick with the fog of the unknown. A path where he has to simply take the next step without knowing if there is a firm path there.”
I enjoyed the stern, no-nonsense- approach to life of Miss Ophelia. Surprisingly, she provides several laughs!
What a not so propitious start to a marriage! Can Mira and Gordon make a go of this marriage, as Gordon believes?
“I can’t marry you. I don’t love you.” She looked directly into his eyes. “You don’t love me.” “But I love the Lord. You love the Lord. I believe he will honor that love, and with a common mission in both our hearts, the Lord will grow love between us as he did so many of those he brought together in the Bible.”
Ada June broke my heart and captured it at the same time. I wondered if I would have had the wisdom to deal with her many fears and her difficult past? Don’t miss Joseph, Elsinore, and Bo! And the connections within the community were amazing! People are very complex in this novel, just as in real life, and a couple threw me for a loop!
Song… can be reminiscent of Catherine Marshall’s Christy, yet it is different. Making one’s heart desires those that please God is one of the main themes. God, in turn, gives us happiness in those desires. This beautiful novel is covered by a fantasticly colorful and appealing scene that begs you to read the book.
I received a copy of the book from Revell and Library Thing Early Readers via NetGalley. I also bought a pb copy for myself and one to give away. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Ours would be a mission school with our own rules for the position of teacher. A teacher chosen by the Lord.”
“When I see a bluebird, I can’t help but think of the love with which the Lord surely formed that first bird. Through that love, the Lord gifted us with joy and hope whenever our eyes delight in its sight. May this little bird help you remember not only my love but the Lord’s as well. A bluebird of happiness.”
“One doesn’t have to know everything about one’s destination when one begins a journey.”
“What were the desires of her heart? She had a ready answer. To teach them. To let her light shine. Sometimes she would quote the next verse to them. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. That was her way of letting them know that the Lord would, as her mother always said, provide. He would plant the proper desires in their hearts and show them the way to reach those goals in life. Had she taught that and never truly believed it?”
“He isn’t my young man, and I haven’t received a call to be a missionary.” “Are you sure? I think that is why you ran away this morning. You are afraid of the call you are feeling. Fear has a way of paralyzing us, coloring our thoughts, making us want to believe we know more than God.”
“Do you want me to live out your dream?” “No.” Miss Ophelia shook her head. “I want you to live out your dream. One the Lord appears to be pushing you toward.”
“Don’t we all have choices?” “We do, but sometimes until we walk the same paths as others, we can’t understand the choices they make. It’s a hard life.”
“Pain on the outside helped her not feel the pain on the inside that never went away.”
“Do more than hope. Pray.”
“The Lord doesn’t limit our prayers. He’s ready to answer abundantly if it is in his will.”
“I’m not in the reforming business. Just the spreading the gospel business. I let the Lord do what reforming he thinks needs doing.”
“Sometimes niceness was just a coating like moss on a wet rock that was slippery if a body depended on stepping full on it.”
“We often think we know the best way and have a sure idea of what should happen, without considering if those ways we want to choose will delight the Lord. What we should do, what I feel the Lord wants us to do, is let him plant those desires in our hearts.”...more
He’d come to Montana Territory to find what he’d lost.”
Eric LaGrange has met up with some the Coulter brothers in Ft. Benton and convinced them to letHe’d come to Montana Territory to find what he’d lost.”
Eric LaGrange has met up with some the Coulter brothers in Ft. Benton and convinced them to let him travel back to their ranch in Montana territory, in this historical romance by Misty M. Beller. The year is 1869, and Eric is seeking the woman he expected to love for the rest of his life, Naomi. He arrives at the ranch to discover two surprises: Naomi is engaged to Jonah, one of the Coulter brothers, and she has a ten-month-old toddler who is obviously Eric’s daughter.
I was a bit put off by Eric at first. He appears on the scene, charging in like he should have a say in how his daughter is being raised and where (he considers the Montana mountains very dangerous for a young child). "Now that I'm here, I can promise you this. No man—not you and all your brothers combined—is going to keep me from taking care of my daughter the way I see fit." It seems he is quick to judge when he feels little mischievous Mary Ellen might not be as safe as he prefers. Since this is the first he’s seen his daughter, both Naomi and Jonah feel the sharp pain of their toes being stepped on harshly, plus the rest of the Coulter clan is ready to back those two. Can Eric convince Naomi she and their daughter belong with him? Back East? “He wasn't a Coulter, nor did he have any desire to live in this dangerous land, so far from his life and work back in Washington D.C.”
I am always happy to see positive relationships portrayed between Native Americans and those of European descent. Two Shoes and his wife, Heidi, play a significant role in this story, though we don’t see much of them.
There are several children in this novel. Each has a unique place and adds something special to the story. Some prepare us for the next story.
Twins. One relationship that Naomi falls back on is that of her twin sister, Dinah. Dinah can sense when something is wrong with Naomi, and is a good listener and support. But, since she’s married to Jericho Coulter, Jonah’s brother, will she automatically put her weight behind Team Jonah?
Faith appears multiple times in the story, as characters recognize the wrongness of the past, either ask forgiveness of God and carefully avoid the same issues, or forgive others for wrongs done them. Plus, God’s guidance is often sought. When God speaks in an unusual way, one character is quick to obey.
I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit, plus I bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
"Sometimes, clarity comes in unexpected moments."
“Caring was so hard. It opened the heart to be vulnerable.”...more
“What should I do, Adonai? Did God care about their personal spats with one another? He’d saved them to repopulate a world where evil ran rampant. But“What should I do, Adonai? Did God care about their personal spats with one another? He’d saved them to repopulate a world where evil ran rampant. But they could not run from the sin in their own hearts.”
Jill Eileen Smith. A name of long associated with Biblical fiction, yet The Ark and the Dove is the first book I’ve been privileged to read by Smith.
First, I suggest bringing your waders. While obviously this is the story of Genesis 6, the flood of Noah’s day, it is so much more. While it is an engrossing read, it is not a quick read, compared to many books. You will be immersed in the deep waters of the Nephilim, the Watchers, the ever-encroaching evil, and the intense oppression of Noah’s family as they build the ark and preach about the coming judgment.
Somehow, as a mother of adult children, this novel hits especially hard, emotionally, but even young adults can relate to the sibling issues. It seems we see the stresses on the family as seen mostly through the eyes of Zara, Noah’s faithful wife. She has to place her faith in Noah to lead her family spiritually, but it is hard for all of them to follow God’s few personal directives given only directly to Noah. It is also hard for each son to maintain his marriage and close relationships with the other two brothers as doubts and fears assail. I ached along with Zara as she is heartbroken when her the families of her daughters-in-law turn against them and join in the persecution and rejection. No matter how hard she tries, one of the wives seems bent on trouble-making. Do we know these things for gospel fact? No, we only know what the Bible gives us, which Smith quotes or rephrases multiple times. She even includes references to Romans 1. The rest is author’s license, as long as it does not contradict Scripture. That is what Biblical fiction is.
I will be thinking on this book for a while to come! I was glad I had previous teaching under my belt about the Nephilim and the Watchers. Otherwise, I might have wanted them explained a little more. The Ark and the Dove caused a good discussion between myself and my husband, and I believe it would be a great book for a church book club.
I received a copy of the book from Revell Reads through Netgalley. I also bought a paperback copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Abba said that God did not want to judge us. His heart was broken by our rebellion. I never thought of the Creator as having a heart that could break like ours does.”
“We are made in His image, so perhaps that’s one way that we are like Him. We feel because He feels. Perhaps that is the greatest kind of love.”
“If someone wants to worship something other than the Creator, they will use anything to replace Him in their hearts. It does not have to be a creation of wood or stone. An idol can be anything we place above Him as the most important thing in our lives.” ...more
“What a fine bucket of fish guts this was turning out to be. She’d hoped for an intriguing first case to solve— Not an impossible one.”
Ah, this story “What a fine bucket of fish guts this was turning out to be. She’d hoped for an intriguing first case to solve— Not an impossible one.”
Ah, this story by Michelle Griep!! First, because it is a Griep, buy now, ask later. Seriously, my motto for her books. However, I must say you will want to have read The Thief of Blackfriars Lane and The Bride of Blackfriars Lane, so you feel like Jackson and Kit are close friends you respect, even if it's impossible to predict their actions. Common themes to Griep are forgiveness and trust, plus judging others and trust. Beautifully depicted.
Kit has so much spunk and impetuosity, plus a great nose for mystery solving that she has connived to get her father to open a detective agency with her. All is well and good if Kit stays where she belongs, according to her father and Jack, safe in the background, in the office. As if!
Kit finds that motherhood has changed her in so many ways. She yearns for her child, yet leaves her daily with her good friend, Martha. Can she put aside her mothering instincts long enough to be an unprejudiced part of the detective team? Can she remember she is a mother enough to be sure she avoids danger? Can we say Kate is very conflicted?!
Jackson has his own issues. He’d might not miss Kate’s shenanigans so much if he didn’t have a precinct to run, with multiple officers needing attention of various degrees, and a supervisor ready to shut the whole office down. Plus a nuisance vagabond hanging around. Oh, vey!
Jackson is fortunate to have a loyal friend in Charles Bagette, an officer who entered training when Jack did. But Bagette has two strikes against him. He’s charged with keeping Kit safe. And, he’s falling for Martha, a baker and soup kitchen cook. Martha just happens to be Bella’s ( Kit’s daughter)babysitter, in addition to Frankie’s mother. The same Frankie who either has a future as a thug or a detective, under Kit’s tutelage.
One thing I always love about a Griep novel is the multiple storylines woven in and out around each other. We have all the above, plus the very complicated mystery that Kit takes on against her father’s consent. So now we also have that relationship thread to follow.
Danger. Action. Twist. Repeat. Biblical truth. Short contemplation how that should affect the character’s action. Swift, short, cry-outs to God. Then start at the beginning of this paragraph with danger and repeat the scenario. My heart barely survived the action, but surviving the emotional tugs was worse!
I cannot do justice to this book. But it will be on the very short list for my fave book of the year!!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via Netgalley, plus I bought my own ecopy and 2 paperbacks. This is a book to be shared! No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
it always comes back to trusting in God’s plan. Rest assured that no matter what you do or don’t do, you will not thwart whatever our mighty Creator is up to.The best we can accomplish is to hold tight to our faith and keep walking towards eternity a step at a time.”
“ …love covers a multitude of sins. So, pursue that. Pursue love instead of dwelling in past failure. That path can only lead to a denial of the present and a forfeiture of the future.”
“But it’s God who brings beauty from ashes. Don’t push away that gift. It is never prudent or wise to stiff-arm God. “
“On this day, our illustrious government banned the spreading of rumors. Are we to fight censorship in occupied lands by practicing it here?”
Air raid “On this day, our illustrious government banned the spreading of rumors. Are we to fight censorship in occupied lands by practicing it here?”
Air raid sirens. Criss-crossing search beams looking for enemy warcraft. Bombs screaming through the night air, people crying out in terror and loss. Embers in the sky as fires burn. Sarah Sundin knows few, if any, of her readers were alive during WWII, so she brings the war to us. Against this backdrop she recounts the story of a young Dutch widow, Aleida Maartens, and a famous BBC radio announcer, Hugh Collingwood.
Aleida is in England. She is very forthright, in stark contrast to her British compatriots, and very humble. She volunteers for the government department that oversees Londoners and refugees sending their children to the country to “safety.” Aleida volunteers to interview refugees in various areas, hoping to locate her lost 3-1/2 year old son.
Hugh is a daring correspondent who is hiding a secret, who sees the future of reporting being live broadcasting and sets up a live broadcast whenever possible. He makes enemies as he criticizes the English government’s censorship of honest news and pushes for being allowed to report live from the front, as others argue for pre-scripted news from a studio. Yes, some war secrets need to be kept, but how much control should the government of a free land exert over its people during war? “But also sobering was the thought of adopting fascism in order to fight it. Surely a better way could be found.”
Will Aleida and High survive the war between countries? The war between social classes and statuses? The fear the threatens to overtake from within, and the resistance from the fellow Allies with differing views? And will Aleida ever be reunited with her darling son, or is their relationship another casualty of the war?
Sarah Sundin is a new-to-me author and one I will def be following from now on!
I received a copy of this book from Revell via Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“What we know and what we believe can be two separate matters. We know what we know, but we don’t always know what we believe.”
“List your fears. Name those monsters, so you can fight them.”...more
“But what good is it having dreams if they aren’t big?”
Woo-Hoo, Set in Stone, book two of Treasures in the Earth, by Kimberley Woodhouse, releases Mar“But what good is it having dreams if they aren’t big?”
Woo-Hoo, Set in Stone, book two of Treasures in the Earth, by Kimberley Woodhouse, releases March 12! I absolutely love this series by Kimberley Woodhouse!
Set in Stone is just as exciting and suspenseful as its predecessor, The Secrets Beneath. Both involve a woman archaeologist, history, romance, and mystery. Set in Stone, as Secrets Beneath, can be a stand-alone.
This is a heart-wrenching story, at least for any daddy’s girl, of which I was one. Young Martha Jankowski is also one, idolizing her father, loving any time at home with him, and ecstatic when her archaeologist father lets her start “working”with him on a dig at age 6. But shortly after that, her parents return home from a trip, with her father maimed, unable to work any more, and greatly changed.
Unable to get her social-rule-conscious mother to show any love or approval, Martha hopes as an adult, by working her own dig, to gain her parents’ approval.
We meet Jacob Duncan working on an opposing dig, as the powers that be have pitted two digs against each other for dinosaur bones and speed. This is part of the Bone Wars that took place during that time, leading to sloppy practices, carelessness, and greed in a field demanding meticulous care. It is interesting to see how Woodhouse introduces Jacob and Martha to each other and how their lives become entangled both in matters of work and the heart.
If that were the only storyline present, Set in Stone would be interesting. But Woodhouse takes her novel a step above to “ominously mysterious” with the mystery over Martha’s father’s personality change and the invisible, ruthless owner of the other mine.
I loved the growth in the two main characters. The spiritual insights are as relevant for the reader as they are for the protagonists.
Don’t miss this exciting, mysterious second book in the Treasures of the Earth series.
Notable Quotables:
“…it doesn’t matter where God places you, it only matters that you use what you have to shine His light.”
”Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.“ Proverbs 17:9 ESV ...more
“Regret is a strange animal, son. It makes you create alternate realities inside your head with hindsight as your guide. You long for those imaginary “Regret is a strange animal, son. It makes you create alternate realities inside your head with hindsight as your guide. You long for those imaginary outcomes until it’s a sickness. But there’s also another side to regret… I knew how much it cost to get it wrong.”
Indeed, this twisty, dual-time novel of Amanda Cox, Between the Sound and the Sea, is full of regrets. Walter is desperately trying to make up for his regrets from 60 years earlier. Finn doesn’t know how to step away from his broken past into a safe life. And Joey thinks she can somehow solve her problems by proving her worth to a town who has rejected her. Can these three work together to restore an old Outer Banks lighthouse and solve the mystery of the light keeper and his daughter who disappeared years ago?
Cheers for obscure history revealed! Never would I have guessed WWII was this close to our mainland! Why weren’t we taught this in US history?!
I found myself with the characters saying in my head, “I wish this or that would happen, or wouldn’t have happened.” Or I was guilty, as I read, of saying, “Why? Why did [character] do that?!” Whether in reading or real life, it’s so easy to get caught up in the “if only” rut. You can see Amanda Cox’s background as a therapist came through as she explores the characters’ actions and feelings. “It was past time to leave behind the ‘if onlys.’ ‘I’m not sure going backward is ever the answer. We learn what we can from the hard times and keep moving forward.’”
This mesmerizing novel will have you reaching for the Kleenex more than once as Cox visits themes of regret, fear, and heartache. Is there a path for these characters I now love to find peace, forgiveness, hope, and restoration?
Because I love to spotlight secondary characters, I will name Pete as my fave such character. I loved how God used him in the narrative and also how he grew!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. I also pre-ordered a pb for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“But that’s the beauty of love and grace, Cay. The real kind. We don’t have to earn it.”
“God meets us right where we’re at. And maybe things in our lives get broken down and beaten up along the way. The good news is restoration work is kind of His specialty.”
”When people are hurt and scared, they aren’t always able to reason through things well. They can’t see past the pain and fear.”
“I feel like I’ve slipped and fallen into an episode of Scooby-Doo. Send help.” ...more
“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the w“How can I begin to tell of the many things I have found? Or of the One who found me? I see His hand in my story like a weaver’s shuttle through the warp, steady and sure, pulling here, loosening there, doing the work necessary for beauty. How do I tell of His capable hands, the ones that rescued me?”
“Before I can share the many ways I was found, I would have to begin with the day I was lost.”
And so, in the prologue, ( I hope you read prologues!) we have the reason for Heather Kaufman’s imagination of Martha’s life long before she ever met Jesus. As with other great Biblical fiction, Kaufman takes a few verses and passages we know of a Biblical individual. These are not changed from Scripture. But where Scripture is silent, the author suggests possible life events that send Martha, Mary, and Lazarus on their life trajectories until they encounter Jesus. “Maybe she or he reacted this way because…” In the meantime, Kaufman’s Martha becomes so real, so human, you will sympathize, you will judge, you will hold your breath as you hold her secrets, and you will wonder how she survived growing up in her father’s house. You will begin to understand a woman’s plight in Jewish society in the first century. Kaufman presents challenging relationships well. Some romantic, some familial, some friend-based. You will sigh, you will cry, you will ask, “Why?” But hopefully, when all is said and done, you will turn to the Biblical story to check out what truth we do know, and you’ll never view Martha or her siblings as 2- dimensional again!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher, through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley, plus I bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Yahweh keeps providing beacons of light in your life to guide you when you need it most.”
“None of us is worthy. We are all naked and undone before the holiness of God.” “Who can stand before this holy God?” “Those who align themselves with His Son.”
“Sometimes love engulfs us suddenly, like a consuming fire.”“…Other times it comes over us slowly, like a sunrise.”...more
“You can’t live your life looking over your shoulder. Keep your eyes focused on what’s in front of you.”
As I sat down to read yet another World War II“You can’t live your life looking over your shoulder. Keep your eyes focused on what’s in front of you.”
As I sat down to read yet another World War II novel, this one What I Promise You by Liz Tolsma, I had to wonder why. Why are so many novels being written about WWII? How is this one different than others I’ve read?
The first question might be self-explanatory as we as a nation are at a point where we have very few survivors of WWII still alive, and perhaps we are trying to grasp pieces of history before they’re gone forever. Certainly, that’s one promise we want to make our ancestors- that we will never forget the atrocities that went on in Europe, man’s inhumane treatment of his fellow man, especially during that time.
Tolsma’s novel stands out because it deals largely with the treatment and rescue and raids of women and children. To think that a few people, like Nurse Reiter, Eleanor, Aime, and Helene could affect so many! While the characters are fictional, several were loosely based on real, live, brave people.
Another way Tolsma’s novel stands out is the fact that it is not a dual timeline, but a triple timeline! We are with Noemie in 1942 Perpignan, France, in third person POV; with an unidentified narrator in Elne, France, in 1955, written in first person POV; and Barcelona, Spain and southern France with Caitlyn in 2022, written again in third person POV. Tolsma exhibits a great deal of skill to have separated all those story threads beforehand, then to slowly piece and wind them, bit by bit, back together again! I loved how not only is What I Promise You historical and romantic, but now another layer has been added- that of mystery.
The depth of this story! The emotions each time period evokes! My heart is raw! When will Helene stop trying to give more than she can, in order to atone for her perceived past sin? When will Caitlyn decide whether she is following God or her plans from her childhood? Who will God place in these young women’s paths who will be a light in their darkest times?
I personally loved all the French phrases and felt it added an authenticity to the book. A glossary is provided at the front.
I received a copy of the book from the author through Celebrate Lit via Netgalley. I also bought my own ecopy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“To give your offspring the best chance they have at life is the greatest gift you can give them.”
“What is right is not always easy.”
“There’s always the choice to do right or wrong.”
I can’t live my life in fear of what might be. If I do, I’ll miss out on what is.”...more
Let Jennifer Deibel sweep you away to the beautiful land of Ireland at the turn of the last century. As the time for the annual matchmaking festival iLet Jennifer Deibel sweep you away to the beautiful land of Ireland at the turn of the last century. As the time for the annual matchmaking festival in Lisdoonvarna nears, professional matchmaker Catríona Daly rues the irony of being an unmatched matchmaker. Her dearest wish is to for some rich festival-goer to woo her away from this small, backward town to a bustling city.
Meanwhile, Donal Bunratty and his nine-year-old daughter are struggling to make a go of their small farm a few miles away. Donal will do anything for his daughter, so he reluctantly agrees to attend the matchmaker’s festival.
Andrew Osbourne’s match from last year was a flop. He is back with his determined parents, set on finding a match that will see him well politically.
When Catríona becomes the matchmaker for both men, scheming on more than one front nearly brings disaster. Will true personalities show through the posturing of such times? Will wisdom or personal gain drive decisions?
Of course, my fave character is 9-year-old Sara, so precocious in some ways and forced by circumstances to assume adult roles never meant for children. No wonder her father will go to great lengths to please her, or that she attracts goodwill and help from Caty.
A glossary at the front of the book helps with Irish words and phrases and gives an air of authenticity to the novel. It was fun learning some of the details of what went on behind the scenes of a match, like the “plucking of the gander.”
Bullying, social status, love of the land, and pure selfishness, plus romance and trust in God all make this a believable and enjoyable novel to be visited more than once.
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher via Netgalley. I also bought my own paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ...more
“Sometimes findin’ out the truth is too painful. It’s easier to figure out how to get by an’ pretend the past doesn’t haunt “I can hear the darkness.”
“Sometimes findin’ out the truth is too painful. It’s easier to figure out how to get by an’ pretend the past doesn’t haunt you.”
Haunted, I am. Jaime Jo Wright, led by her self-acknowledged muse of Edgar Alan Poe, offers up one of her eeriest novels yet. What makes Wright, with her themes of death and fear so beloved? For some, it may be the tendency towards the macabre. Wright pens this dual timeline and includes interludes of an unreliable narrator, totally obsessed with death and God’s judgment. At first, I questioned why I was reading something so dark. However, having read several of Wright’s books, I know that eventually the mysteries will be explained, and specters will be unmasked. Eventually, breaking through the dark clouds of the shadow of death, Wright will present that Ray of Hope that shines brightly enough to tunnel through the darkness victoriously.
Small town Shepherd, Iowa, holds secrets as it sees two murders a century apart. In 1901, the bankers’ daughters, Polly and Effie James, witness a terrible occurrence at 322 Predicament Avenue. Polly, terminally ill, becomes almost comatose after being an eye-witness. Effie, the bookish and more rule-oriented of the two, searches for a way to bring her sister back from what she believes is a premature sickness. Society conspires against Effie at every turn. At risk to her own reputation, Effie befriends a newcomer to town and starts investigating with him, breaking every expectation her parents have for her future.
Nearly a century later, Nora Richman owns 322 Predicament Avenue, capitalizing on its dark history to attract visitors to her B and B. A true-crime podcaster comes to stay, ruffling Nora’s nerves as he revives the two murders, one being that of Nora’s twin sister a decade earlier. Nora is a shell of herself since that event, barely able to leave her home, and wants nothing to do with resurrecting the hurtful past. Another death and a second visitor to the house sets in motion a course of events that could totally break Nora.
Fear of death. This is Effie’s predicament. “When a person lived afraid of death, when they could feel death’s cold breath on their neck every moment of the day, there was no courage left to be had. No anticipation. No hope. Only the force of one’s own will to try to outrun the fear before they were eaten alive by it. Before their greatest fear became their worst reality.” Whew, if reading that doesn’t explain Effie’s life and make you, the reader, afraid, I don’t know what will! Anderson, Effie’s English acquaintance, fears something very much.
Nora doesn’t so much fear death as life itself. Nora’s guest, Sebastian, is afraid of something that is altering his life.Nora has so many questions. How can she stop being afraid? Her friend answers, “He left you to live. So live, Norah. Believe there haven’t been mistakes, only a busted-up old world in need of hope.” The real question Wright challenges us, the reader with, is will we surrender to hope or fear? On what basis?
What an incredible wrap-up! I guessed one culprit, but never in a million years would I have nailed the other villain. Wright also drives home the point people are not as we judge them to be.
Bravo, Miss Wright! I’m ready for your next novel of creepy hope!!
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ecopy and a paperback for my keeper shelf. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Death had been a guest here at Predicament Avenue for decades, and it was clear that Death wasn’t ready to check out quite yet.”
“It’s a’right to admit you’re not a’right.”
“It was as if the sun had gone down at 322 Predicament Avenue the night Naomi’s murdered body had been found, and it had never risen again.”
“What was it about being afraid that pushed a person away from God instead of toward Him?”
“Fear steals our joy and is the agony of those with no hope. It will not define us. Fear is the enemy we will defeat.” ...more
I love Karen Witemeyer’s Western historical fiction novels. If the Boot Fits is quite an interesting retelling of Cinderella. I felt so sorry for SamaI love Karen Witemeyer’s Western historical fiction novels. If the Boot Fits is quite an interesting retelling of Cinderella. I felt so sorry for Samantha Dearing who has always known that she is not good enough in her Texas rancher father’s eyes. Yet, I loved how Witemeyer slowly peels back layers of Samantha and her father’s relationship until it looks totally different than what Samantha has assumed it to be. Nice twists!
So many times I just had to laugh at expressions that Witemeyer had her characters use, ie, “gallloping geese!” Plus, just fun and hilarious situations. I esp. loved Asher’s brother, Ferguson, and his great imagination involving the farm animals and his writings about them.
Other than the main characters and their romance, there are so many terrific secondary characters! I went from extreme dislike to extreme admiration for one character. I loved the sage advice that Aunt Regina has to offer Samantha. “No one enjoys adversity, but nothing can draw a child of God closer to the Father. It is easier to rely on his strength when we’ve been weakened. Easier to trust his guidance when we know we are lost. Easier to seek his presence when pain makes us crave his comfort.”
Ashur’s mother, Bess , is a quiet presence who has a huge influence on the people around her. Her love, her kindness, her forgiveness, pave the way for both Asher and Samantha to follow suit.
So many faith moments to highlight and ponder!! I really love that Witemeyer uses so many situations in the story that can apply to our lives today! This is the number #1 reason I read fiction, for these terrific Biblical truth nuggets! Bravo!!
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. I also bought my own ebook. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
( What I want to emulate.) “She repeated the verse over and over in her mind until her heart started to believe.”
( What I want to remember.) …waiting is one of the hardest things the Lord asks us to do. It strains our patience, faith, and self-control. Yet he promises good to those who wait on him.”
(What we all need to remember.) “God created us with very different personalities and interests, which led to us viewing the world through very different lenses. One wasn’t better or worse than another. Both had value. And both had pitfalls.”...more
The evil had come. It pulsated all around her, thick and black and unruly as a horde of gray wolves with no restraining hand.”
All Sylvie Galant and soThe evil had come. It pulsated all around her, thick and black and unruly as a horde of gray wolves with no restraining hand.”
All Sylvie Galant and so many of her fellow Acadians wanted was to be neutral, uninvolved in the land grab in the “New World” between England and France. The Acadians just want to go on living life in their beautiful, productive land as they have for generations. But that right is ferociously torn away from them by the English governor, who vanquishes them all from the land of their dreams to exile in the English colonies… if they survive to arrive. While all Acadians know Bleu Galant, Sylvie’s half-brother, fights for them and the French, they also know that the man responsible for rounding up the Acadians is Le Diable Blanc (the White Devil), Le Loup ( the Wolf).
Laura Frantz, winner of the Christy for historical fiction in 2023, has written yet another novel, The Seamstress of Acadie, equally deserving of a Christy.
No one has a way with words like Laura Frantz. Frantz writes so beautifully, I can almost hear music or see art accompanying her words. I could certainly see Acadie in all its beauty, then its denudation of its people and prosperity. Frantz makes you feel like you are on those transport ships of death. I could feel the rise and swell of the waves in the storm, smell the odors of sickness and fear, feel the terror of the hurricane, taste the loss of dreams and faith.
Still, people that go through the same horrific circumstances can come out different on the other side. Frantz points the reader to the fact that this is because some, like Sylvie, devastated, turn to their faith to bolster them and provide a purpose for their lives. Others continue to stew in their hatred, with disastrous results.
Some, like Sylvie, attempt to share the bit of light they find. “God Himself collects our tears and stores them in a bottle…God takes note of our suffering. It is no light matter to Him. I find that . . . comforting.” Yet few are willing to see that God can be present in and allow horrible circumstances and still be directing a person’s path. “There is no bottle big enough for Acadie’s weeping.”
Sylvie battles fear, loss of family, loss of homeland, prejudice, and finally her own treacherous heart, falling for the one man she should hate.
With a map, glossary, and short historical note at the front, the reader is well-prepared for this both painful and beautiful journey. In The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz, I found a new book to reread for her rest of my life!!
I received a copy of the book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also ordered a paperback copy for myself and a friend. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
Notable Quotables:
“Perhaps the Lord was leading her in ways she hadn’t planned or preferred, but still he leadeth.”...more
“Swear to me you will keep them safe.” “Keep him safe, David.”
“If he failed again? How many more lives would he wear on his conscience?”
In 1939 Polan“Swear to me you will keep them safe.” “Keep him safe, David.”
“If he failed again? How many more lives would he wear on his conscience?”
In 1939 Poland, the country moves suddenly from talking about war to being overrun overnight by Germany. Nadia Roenne goes from ballroom to seeing the murder of her father, to fleeing with an American stranger, David Reid.
Nadia Roenne has sharp tongue, and despite David’s repeated sacrifices for her, arrives at one destination still with her attitude of class superiority. “He’d saved her life, and she still didn’t care enough to remember his name.”
Facing unimaginable atrocities the German Army inflicted on the Polish people, but especially the Jews, can David and Nadia work together, or will their language, ideals, and nationality keep them apart? What inner resources will it take to survive the horrendous onslaught?
The evil of mankind makes this a difficult book to read, although only one who has experienced them can truly understand. Still, I shuddered as the bombs came whistling in, and the sirens screamed. I turned my head ,if possible, at the inhumane sights.
But… there is hope in this darkness, one that makes the novel one you’ll want to read. Facing their own mortality, ultimate hope is uncovered. “I imagine death is like stepping into a warm embrace. Like walking through a doorway away from pain and hurt into the waiting arms of those who are already gone. Family. Friends. Jesus. . .”
As they await terror and uncertainty, reflection with friends again visits, hitting home. “Perhaps there are those who will not like us because we are Polish or because you are Jewish, but not everyone is like that.” “You are not like that.” “No, I believe all people deserve to be treated fairly.” “Even Germans?”
Read Capturing Hope by Angela K Couch. If you dare.
I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit and Netgalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own. ...more
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