Becoming us

Becoming Us by Robin Jones Gunn is the first in the Haven Makers Series. It follows a small group of 5 women who join in a friendship, some willingly and some with trepidation. I loved the group, however, I felt the worry of one member, Emily. Her small family's future is uncertain, so she feels uncertainty in joining a group of women, who in other circumstances, would fill a void she feels in her life.
This book takes us through challenges that many can relate with. I felt that the characters were created with thoughtfulness and love. This helps to make each one someone that I was eager to get to know. I look forward to reading other books in this series and I highly recommend it.
I was given this book by the publisher but the review is all my own and my honest opinion.

Book Review: White Christmas by Tanya Stowe

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Tanya Stowe always write romance stories that reflect her values. They are clean and they are good. I always have so many Christmas books that I continue reading them after the holidays and when they are written like this one I don't mind at all. This is a well-written story that many will enjoy to read time and again.

Book Review: Christmas with Miss Austen

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Once I saw the name Austen in the title I was sold. I had a feeling I would like this book.
Julia Allen is a busy lady. She is a waitress, a painter and an 1800s authoress. She attends a historical open house as Jane Austen and she loves it. Then she gets locked inside after falling asleep. When she heads home she runs into a stranger, Eliot Weston. Weston thinks he must have imagined that historical figure. In her rush to go home, Julia loses a friends rare copy of Northanger Abbey. Weston finds it but cannot find any identification in it as to who the owner is.
This is a short book, 59 pages, and is a sweet Christian romance. I love the way there are little references to Jane Austen through the book. This is a nice, easy, fun read.

Book Review: Lone Witness

I was given this book by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.
Sophie Dawson has just started working as a prosecutor in the White Collar division in Fulton County. Her first case is to investigate a bank employee who may be cheating customers. Soon she finds that she is the sole witness to a double homicide. This was not what she was expecting, at all.
Cooper Knight, a former police office and now a private security guard has accepted a job of keeping Sophie safe.
Before long, neither of them know who they can trust.
This book places the reader inside both of these legal professions. Dylan has created characters which are strong and complex.
This is the second book in the series. The characters from the first book show up as secondary characters. The third book in this series is due out in 2019.

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Book Review: Dressed for Death

Dressed for Death is the fourth book in the Drew Farthering Mystery Books. The Fartherings went to a Regency era costume party to celebrate being married for 6 months. While there they come upon Talbot Cummins and Alice, his fiancee, who seem less that happy. During the ball, Alice dies from overdosing on cocaine. The question is did she take it herself or was it murder.
I found the characters to be fun to read and share the adventure with plus I loved the Christian message behind the entire story. There were sections that were slow but by sticking with it, I found the twists and turns to make this a good mystery.

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Book Review: Blind Betrayal

Blind Betrayal is the third book in the Defenders of Justice Series by Nancy Mehl.
Casey Sloan has been in the St. Louis U.S. Marshals Office for a couple of years. Now she is assigned the duty of escorting a reporter to Washington. He is to testify about an environmentalist who vanished. In addition to this, Casey discovers that the Marshal's Office has been under attack and now placed on high alert. Now Casey, the reporter and two other marshals are running while tryingt o keep the reporter safe.
This is the first of the series I have read and it surprised me how quickly I became engrossed in the writing. There is plenty of suspense to keep you reading and the characters were easy to catch up with. Each character has a distinct personality and background which helped make me invested in them.
I will need to pick up the first book in the series so that I can find out what has happened up to now. Excellent book.
I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.
This book may be found at Amazon HERE!
Christian Book Distributors HERE
or Barnes and Noble HERE

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Book Review: A Worthy Heart by Susan Anne Mason

This is the second book in the Courage to Dream series. I had not read the first one, so it did take me a few pages to catch up. Once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Maggie Montgomery wished to see Rylan, her brother, and his wife when she traveled to America. In her heart she wants to make this more than just a visit, she would like to stay in America where she can find her fortune and love.
Adam O'Leary, Colleen's brother, has spent time in jail. He is looking to change and to find his way back into his family. He has no desires to fall in love at this time.
This is the story of these two, very different, people and if they are able to bridge the difference and find a life together.
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Jadah's Wife by Angela Hunt

Leah had a childhood that would not be envied. Her father was verbally, as well as physically, abusive. To escape from this life, Leah marries Judah.

Judah saved Leah and her friend from some boys who would have liked to have their way with the girls. In addition to his physical strength, Judah is also a gentle person.

This area of the world is ruled by Antiochus IV who was one of Alexander the Great's generals son. He expects obedience to his every word. If the Jews do not they face death. This leads to conflict within the Jews as they risk all to follow Moses' law.

Leah is looking for peace while Judah's father starts a war by ignoring Antiochus IV degree. When faced with death he urges Judah to continue fighting.

This story of the Maccabees helped to clarify so much for me. I have read many of Angela Hunt's books and I know that she researches the subject before she writes the novel. The story is filled with the history of this time that I needed to understand the conflicts at that time.

The characters had depth and the descriptions of the people and the time was so concise that I was able to place myself in the time and place. I enjoyed this book very much.

I was given this book by the publisher, Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Masterpiece

Roman Velasco is a successful artist in LA. On the outside he appears to be the man who has everything. There is only one person who knows differently, Grace Moore. When he looks out at the view from his mansion, in fact throughout his house, he sees demons. When he gives into these demons he is a graffiti artist, named the Bird. This other side of Roman could end his career and land him in jail.

Grace also has her own secrets. Her former marriage turned her off of love, until she came to know Roman by more than his artistic reputation. This story tells how these two have learned to fit their lives together in spite of difficulties thrown their way.

Francine Rivers has the magic touch to be able to take people and their circumstances and thrown them together in unexpected ways. She does this without sacrificing faith throughout the book. For those who already love her works this will not let you down at all. For those who have not read her books before, try this one, it will leave you wanting to read her other creations as well. This is a fantastic book.

I was given this book by Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.


This book may be found at Amazon HERE!
or
at Barnes and Noble HERE!

Book Review: The First Christmas Carol: A Miser, A Manger, A Miracle

Before we begin, The Christmas Carol is a touchy subject in my house. To my husband, it is not Christmas without it and yet, I could easily do without it. This version is the exception to my rule.

This insightful book takes place at Jesus's birth. The innkeeper is the miser, however, I felt that word was almost too nice for him. He almost seemed heartless, worse than Scrooge. But through the miracles of Christ's birth he was changed.

The characters were so well written. I almost did not want to read it because the innkeeper was so hateful, but I knew, from the Dicken's tale that there would be a reversal to his story.

Such a wonderful book and story I would highly recommend it to all of my friends, family and all.

This book may be found on Amazon HERE

Book Review: Amish Knit Lit Circle

This is the third book in The Amish Knitting Circle series. I feel like these people have become a part of my life. In fact, this book centers around two of my favorite things to do, knitting and reading.

In this book, the circle has come to include English and Amish. Now the circle has come to include the discussion of books as the women knit for the homeless. Some of the books that they discuss include Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, a Christmas Carol, Anne of Green Gables, The Life of Our Lord, Emma, Black Beauty, Pilgrim's Progress and The Secret Garden. Each of these books have been favorites of mine so it was interesting to see the women's viewpoint and how each of these books touched their lives.

This series has fast become a favorite of mine.

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Book Review: Gathering the Threads

This is the third book in The Amish of Summer Grove series. This book finds Ariana back in the world she loves. The world of the Old Order Amish. She spent month in the English world but finds she this world feels like a better fit. Now she has to take what was learned in both worlds and see if she can mesh them. She is not my herself in figuring this all out, Quill Schlaback, a long-time friend who is an ex-Amish, wants to help her. This is difficult when changes in Ariana are plain.

Skylar Nash is also hoping that the appearance of Ariana will not threaten the place she has found here.

This story is so filled with God's love as these two try to find who they are through His love.

I had not read the previous books but I was able to feel like I fit into this world almost from the beginning. I found the world Cindy Woodsmall made to be just like the communities I knew when I was growing up. The characters were rich and made you feel you had an investment made in them and when finished, they become a part of the reader's life.

I was given this book by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

This book may be found at Amazon HERE!
or at Barnes and Noble HERE!

 

Book Review: Freedom's Ring

Freedom's Ring is published by Tyndale House and written by Heidi Chiavaroli. This historical Christian novel begins in Boston in 2015. Annie David was at the Boston Marathon bombing, in fact, she nearly lost her life there. This has caused her to become isolated and she feels guilty because the bombing left her niece crippled. Annie survived by being rescued by a man who she only has a foggy memory of. She also has an antique ring which has caused her to go on a search for the history of the woman who the ring belongs to and the hero.

The story goes to Boston in 1770 where Liberty Caldwell was rescued by Alexander Smythe. He also offered her a job. She discovers much about her employer as time goes on. He loves poetry and he is a protector of Liberty. When the Boston Massacre occurs, her brother is killed. Lost and uncertain what to do she heads towards home, which has its own perils. She has such anger towards the redcoats and especially towards a captain who attacks her. She is able to escape with all she owns plus a ring which had been her friend and employer's.

These women's live separate lives, but each has fear at their hearts. How can they get from here to a point when they can feel strong and secure?

This is truly a historical book and I can tell the author has done research on the time periods discussed. I felt like this book spoke to something within me and it kept pulling me along through each chapter. The past and future are well woven together while including the difficulties, love, hope and more. Each lady suffers grief which was placed upon them by events they could not change.

I was given this book by Tyndale house in exchange for my honest review.

This book is available from Amazon...Here!
This book is available from Barnes and Noble Here!

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Book Review: The Legacy

The Legacy, by Michael Phillips, is the third book in the Secrets of the Shetlands series. I have read the second and now the third books and I love them,

In this final installment of the series the story of David and Loni continues as does the story of Loni's great-grandparents. It tells of how the latter couple met and then grew to love each other. It also tells why Brogan, the great-grandfather, gave up his position as the next Laird and made his home in America.

These stories make me feel like I want to be a part of the story. Once I picked them up, I could not put them back down. Throughout the story, Phillips makes sure to include faith and how faith should be part of the inheritance each person in a family should receive.

The work of Phillips is amazing. He is an author, co-author with Judith Pella, of fiction and non-fiction, plus an editor.

I loved this series and recommend it and the rest of the series, most highly.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

This book may be purchased HERE!!!

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Book Review: Raging Storm

This book, The Raging Storm, is the second book in The Remnant Series. Each book has been well-written and will make the most sense if they are read in order.

A solar flare wiped everything out. Fires are everywhere and smoke makes the air hard to breathe. This is just the beginning. This brings the reader into the book and then you want to stay there until the end. This breath-taking book will make you want to stay put for hours until it is finished. After this, I am ready for the next one.

I was given a copy of this book by Harvest House and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review: High as the Heavens

Evelyn Marche, a nurse during the day and a waitress in the evenings, was made a widow by the war. She also has a third job as a spy for a Belgian resistance group with the British Secret Service.

She is the first one on the scene when a British plane crashes. She finds out she knows the injured pilot, British RFC Captain Simon Forrester. He is taken as a prisoner of war, so Eve hides him. It is very likely that they will be found out or if they do if their relationship can survive the secrets they have had to keep.

Kate Breslin, the author, has written an action-packed novel that was very difficult to put down.The characters are complex and realistic. The storyline has such detail that the reader will want to stay with it until the touching end.I believe that this is a book that should not be passed up. 

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Book Review: The Chapel Car Bride

I loved this book from the first page to the end.

Hope Irvine is an optimist always seeing the good in people, no matter where they are. Her father becomes an on-the-rail missionary where he goes from place to place in a chapel car. Hope wants to use this opportunity to share her gifts in music with others.

Luke Hughes also enjoys music. He is a miner who does not see a future between the two of them. However, he does feel some jealousy when Hope begins visiting people in other counties with the mine manager. Soon Luke begins to questions the mine manager's true purpose for the trips. Luke decides to speak up so he can keep Hope safe.

I loved the way the author, Judith Miller, is able to blend fiction with history, plus she is able to reflect the morals of a Christian throughout the book. I had never heard about chapel car ministries before but I can see how they served their purpose. Very fascinating.

The characters are fully developed and intriguing. I highly recommend this book to all readers.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review.