No One Ever Asked - A Review

Published: April 2018, Waterbrook
Author: Katie Ganshert
Title: No One Ever Asked

About the book:
Challenging perceptions of discrimination and prejudice, this emotionally resonant drama for readers of Lisa Wingate and Jodi Picoult explores three different women navigating challenges in a changing school district--and in their lives.

When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray--the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser--faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones--the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge's top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she's stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. This story explores the implicit biases impacting American society, and asks the ultimate question: What does it mean to be human? Why are we so quick to put labels on each other and categorize people as "this" or "that", when such complexity exists in each person? 

My Thoughts:
I don't think I've ever picked up one of Katie Ganshert's books and haven't loved it. But this one. Oh my goodness, it surpasses any of her others! It's highly appropriate for the current crazy world we live in. I think that I literally read this in about a day. I got completely lost in the story. 

I received a copy as part of the Blogging for Books program. Sadly, this is my last review for them as they are discontinuing the program. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Recommended to fans of Karen Kingsbury, Lisa Wingate, Jodi Picoult

Rating 5 stars

Tea Planter's Wife - A Review

Published - June 2017, Random House
Author - Dinah Jefferies
Title - The Tea Planter's Wife
Format - ebook, paper, hardcover, audio
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About the book (Goodreads):
#1 International bestselling novel set in 1920s Ceylon, about a young Englishwoman who marries a charming tea plantation owner and widower, only to discover he's keeping terrible secrets about his past, including what happened to his first wife, that lead to devastating consequences. Nineteen-year-old Gwendolyn Hooper is newly married to a rich and charming widower, eager to join him on his tea plantation, determined to be the perfect wife and mother. But life in Ceylon is not what Gwen expected.  The plantation workers are resentful, the neighbours treacherous, and there are clues to the past - a dusty trunk of dresses, an overgrown gravestone in the grounds - that her husband refuses to discuss. Just as Gwen finds her feet, disaster strikes. She faces a terrible choice, hiding the truth from almost everyone, but a secret this big can't stay buried forever....

My Thoughts:
First of all let me say that the cover of this book is beautiful. It caught my eye and made me want to read it. Then the back cover copy intrigued me as well. So I requested it to review.

I wasn't prepared for how slow the book was. I wasn't prepared for how long it took to really get into the action. I'll admit that I've had this book for several months. I'd start it, then get bored with it, and put it down, only to pick it up again several weeks later. I'm not sure if the reason it wasn't holding my interest was because it was so slow moving or if I just wasn't interested in it. 

The author did a really good job in developing the characters. They had a lot of depth to them. I just wish that that process had happened sooner in the book rather than later.

I rarely will look at the reviews of a book that I'm currently reviewing. I did in this case. Most of them are very positive. I just know that this particular book wasn't for me. Someone else may love it, and according to the reviews, several do. 

I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books program. I was not required to like the book, only to give my honest opinion, which I have done.

Rating - 2 stars

The Fifth Petal - A Review

Published - January 2017, Random House
Author - Brunonia Barry
Title - The Fifth Petal
Format - ebook, paper
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About the book (Goodreads):
When a teenage boy dies suspiciously on Halloween night, Salem's chief of police, John Rafferty wonders if there is a connection between his death and Salem’s most notorious cold case, a triple homicide dubbed "The Goddess Murders," in which three young women, all descended from accused Salem witches, were slashed on Halloween night in 1989. He finds unexpected help in Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the victims newly returned to town. Neither believes that the main suspect, Rose Whelan, respected local historian, is guilty of murder or witchcraft.  But exonerating Rose might mean crossing paths with a dangerous force. Were the women victims of an all-too-human vengeance, or was the devil raised in Salem that night? And if they cannot discover what truly happened, will evil rise again?

My Thoughts:
I'd never heard of this author before. But when I saw it was available to review, both the cover and the back cover copy drew me in, so I thought "why not." 

I had no idea what to expect from this book. I was drawn in quickly. I was curious to see how all of the puzzle pieces were going to line up. 

Reading about a modern day witch hunt in Salem was interesting on several levels. First I vaguely remember learning about them in my history classes in school. Second, it made me think about how we live in a society today that could easily have such a thing happen. 

Would this have been a book I'd have tried if it wasn't a review copy? Probably not. Am I glad I gave it a chance? Absolutely. Would I read books by this author again? Maybe. I'd have to see. If I were in a mystery kind of mood, then yes. 

Overall, this book was an unexpected surprise that I found myself enjoying.

I received a copy of this book for free from the Blogging for Books program. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating - 4 stars

Home on the Range - A Review

Published - October 2016, Waterbrook/Multnomah
Series - Double S Ranch Book 2
Author - Ruth Logan Herne
Title - Home on the Range
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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About the book (from Goodreads):
A cowboy romance with a heart of gold, in Home on the Range author Ruth Logan Herne returns readers to the Double S Ranch where God and family are first, but love is certain to follow the Stafford menfolk. Nick made all the wrong choices for all the wrong reasons. His father had failed at marriage and fatherhood. Nick was determined to show him up. He'd be a better husband, better father and a better ranch manager than Sam Stafford ever hoped to be. But Nick's wife Whitney hated the ranch and she walked out on Nick and their two beautiful daughters three years ago. For a long time Nick pretended everything was fine and when his stubborn nature is finally challenged by trouble with his young girls, he's faced with the changes he should have made long ago. Psychologist Dr. Elsa Andreas had a thriving family therapy practice, a school commission, a good life, but tragedy pushes Elsa to walk away from her life. Three years later, she's tucked herself in the backwoods of Gray's Glen. When her sister encourages her to help Nick Stafford's daughters, Elsa takes a chance. But Nick's ex-wife comes back to town, threatening the girls' newfound stability. Can Nick find the forgiveness and Else the courage to build their own "Home on the Range"?

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed the first book in this series. This one I struggled with. I struggled to connect to the characters. I struggled to stay interested in the plot. Honestly, I didn't care one way or the other about whether or not I finished the book. But this is a review title. So I struggled my way through it. 

I liked being able to catch up on the characters from the first book. I liked seeing Nick start to change. But I really felt blah about most of the book. 

Other readers are really enjoying this book, so please don't just take my word for it. This book is one that just wasn't for me. 

I received a copy of the book from the publisher for free as part of the Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion.

Rating - 2 stars

Newton & Polly - A Review

Published - September 2016, Waterbrook
Author - Jody Hedlund
Title - Newton & Polly
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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Before John Newton wrote the words to one of the world's most famous hymns, he was a young man trying to find his way. He's on his way to report to working on a ship when he hears the enchanting voice of Polly Catlett while she is caroling. He is instantly smitten and vows to win her heart. Polly is also attracted to John, but his disregard for the Christian life is a huge barrier to their romance. That and the fact that John can't hold a job. Will Polly be able to hold firm to her convictions even if it means giving up the man she loves?

I've heard a lot about John Newton's life growing up. In fact, the hymn Amazing Grace is one that is probably on my list of favorites. But I didn't know much about his early life.

This book pulled me in from the beginning. At the time that I received this book, I was in a bit of a reading slump, and nothing was holding my interest. Then this book arrived in my mailbox. It's been on my list for a long time as the author is one of my favorites. So I started reading it. Over the course of a weekend, I was in engrossed in John and Polly's story.

I never realized how exciting of a time that these two lived in. I also never knew exactly what sort of obstacles that God put in Newton's path to get his attention.

To say that I loved this book, would be an understatement. I loved it. But I think what I loved the most about it is the picture of grace that is portrayed throughout.

I received a complimentary copy of the book as part of the Blogging for Books program in order to share my honest opinion about the book. I was not required to like the book, only share my honest opinion of it. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Jody Hedlund, Lynn Austin, historical fiction, Amazing Grace

Rating - 5 stars

Room for Hope - A Review

Published - February 2016, Waterbrook
Author - Kim Vogel Sawyer
Title - Room for Hope
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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Summary from Amazon:
Neva Shilling has a heavy load of responsibility while her husband travels to neighboring communities and sells items from his wagon. In his absence, she faithfully runs the Shilling Mercantile, working to keep their business strong as the Depression takes its toll, and caring for their twins. When a wagon pulls up after supper, Neva and her children rush out—and into the presence of the deputy driving a wagon carrying three young children. The deputy shocks her with the news that Warren and his wife have died, insisting it was their last request that the three children go live with “Aunt Neva.” Neva’s heart is shattered as she realizes that Warren’s month-long travels were excuses for visits with his secret family. She wants nothing more than to forget Warren, but can she abandon these innocent children to an orphanage? Yet if she takes them in, will she ever be able to see them as more than evidence of her husband’s betrayal and love them the way God does?

My Thoughts:
I've read a lot of Kim Vogel Sawyer's books. This one though was HARD. Not so much that it was hard to read because it wasn't. But the fact that the topic was a hard one. 

Neva was a strong character. She didn't ask for the responsibility of three young children. But she took it. As much as she was hurting, she tried hard to to keep her husband's memory positive - both for her children as well as for the three young children. Yet I found that she really relied on God to see her through. 

Let me be honest. If this wasn't a review title, I probably wouldn't have picked it up. The topic didn't interest me though the cover did draw me in. I'm glad that I did pick it to read and to review. Because I found a really good book.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, Jody Hedlund, Laura Frantz, Karen Kingsbury

Rating - 4 stars

Back in the Saddle - A Review

Published - March 2016, Multnomah Books
Series - Double S Ranch Book 1
Author - Ruth Logan Herne
Title - Back in the Saddle
Format - ebook, paper
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Colt Stafford is coming home. Years ago, he left the family ranch angry with his father. He's made a success of himself in the financial world of Manhattan. But when the stock market leaves him jobless and broke, Colt makes the decision to return to the family ranch and his ailing father. He's broke, but not broken. He's determined to do all that he can to help out on the ranch until the market stabilizes and he can return to New York. He doesn't expect to be greeted by a pretty young woman pointing a shotgun at his chest. Angelina  Morales has her own reasons for working as the housekeeper at the ranch. She has her own secrets. Yet this oldest Stafford son sees more than she wants, and she can't deny that she's drawn to him. But when the market rebounds, will Colt stay or return to the city?

I think that this is my first book I've read by Ruth Logan Herne, but I may have read some of her Love Inspired books in the past. I really don't remember.

I really enjoyed this book. This is a unique twist to the parable of the Prodigal Son found in Luke 15. I have to say, that I enjoyed Angelina's son and Nate's girls the best. They were minor characters in this book, but they were totally sweethearts.

I loved how much Colt, his brother, and his father change in the book. The Staffords have a reputation around town and it isn't a pleasant one. Yet each of them must try to change that reputation. They all have struggles too. For Colt, it's the issue of forgiveness. For his father, it's the issue of pride, and for Nate, it's the issue of fear.

The next book deals with Nate, and I'm looking forward to it.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Denise Hunter, Kathryn Springer, Susan May Warren, Love Inspired, cowboys, Becky Wade, Liz Johnson

Rating - 4 stars

Brooklyn on Fire - A Review

Published - January 2016, Random House
Series - Mary Handley Mystery Book 2
Author - Lawrence H. Levy
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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On the heels of assisting the Brooklyn Police Department in solving a very notable case, Mary Handley is hoping that the case would launch her career as a detective. Yet she's finding that isn't the case. When Emily Worsham shows up at Mary's office saying that her uncle has been murdered, Mary takes the case. As she investigates, she soon finds herself in the midst of a series of interconnected murders, a high stakes family scandal, and more. Yet danger is still lurking with each new clue that unfolds.

This book caught my attention in that Mary is a female Sherlock Holmes-type character. I enjoy a good mystery and unexpected twists.

Yet, I struggled with this one.  I'm not sure if it's because there was a large cast of characters and I wasn't completely sure as to how they were connected. Or if I got bogged down in tedious details. Either way it took me a long time to finish this book.

Overall, the book was good. As the mystery unfolded, I have to give the author credit, I hadn't figured out the solution/guilty party early on in the book, like I usually do.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Sherlock Holmes.

Rating - 3.5 stars, rounded to 3.

Ragamuffin Gospel - A Review

Published - Anniversary edition - October 2015, Waterbrook Multnomah
Author - Brennan Manning
Title -  The Ragamuffin Gospel
Format - ebook, paper, hardcover, audio
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Summary from Goodreads:
Many of us believe in grace, yet we live as if we still have to earn God’s love. We picture God hanging His head in disappointment, tallying our successes and failures on a score sheet. We assume we have to do more, or be a different person, for God to be pleased with us.
 
 
Brennan Manning shows us a different, truer image of our relationship with God: We come to God as ragamuffins. Bedraggled, dirty, exhausted. But as we sit at God’s feet, He smiles upon us. He embraces us. He treats us not as failures but as the chosen objects of His love.
 
In this twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Manning’s classic meditation on grace, Manning reminds us that we don’t need to apply spiritual cosmetics to make ourselves presentable to God. We can recognize our poverty and powerlessness as what bring us closer to a God whose love embraces us no matter what.
 
“Brennan does a masterful job of blowing the dust off of shop-worn theology and allowing God’s grace to do what only God’s grace can do—amaze.”
—Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author
 
“This is a zestful and accurate portrayal that tells us unmistakably that the gospel is good, dazzlingly good.”
—Eugene Peterson, translator of The Message 

 
“This book is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God.”
—Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel
 
The Bible tells us that by grace we are saved. So why does our spirituality often start with ourselves, not with God? Why are we likely to believe in grace in theory but deny it in practice?
 
In The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning explores the true meaning of the word grace in all its power. When we beat ourselves up over who we are or what we’ve done, we pull away from God. When we acknowledge that it is only grace that can save us, we draw near to a God who delights in who He created us to be.
 
The Ragamuffin Gospel has changed thousands of lives since it was first published twenty-five years ago. In this anniversary edition, we find the timeless wisdom of a man who came to God needy and desperate again and again and found a peace that defined his life, his relationships, and his career.
 
You are not a disappointment to God. God does not “put up” with you. He celebrates you. God not only loves you, He likes you.. This is the joy of the gospel.

My Thoughts:
I remember reading this when it first came out years ago. I was working in a bookstore at the time, and it was a good idea to read it so that I could talk to my customers about it. I was browsing the Blogging for Books list when I saw this anniversary edition as being able to review. Then I looked at my brother's Christmas list this year. And this book was on it. So needless to say, I happily requested the book to review it and give it to my brother for Christmas. 

This book is really good. It's simple to read, and for the girl who doesn't like reading nonfiction, that was a huge plus! True, I'd read it before - fifteen to twenty years ago, but that doesn't mean that I couldn't get something new out of it. 

I think I'm a different place in my life now than I was when I first read the book. Well, I don't think. I know so. Anyway, I loved how the author tells you that you're not a disappointment to God. In fact that thought parallels something that one of my pastors talked about in his sermon on Sunday - God doesn't make junk. Or mistakes. And I think that so often, the world's view causes us as Christians to miss the whole point of what the Gospel is. God loves us no matter what. 

I could go on and on but I think I'll stop there. After all, this review is already a lot longer than most of my nonfiction reviews, and even my fiction ones (unless I'm gushing or tearing it to shreds!). Because, truthfully, I'm still absorbing the book. 

I recommend it. It's been out for a while. You can find it at the library or just about any place.

I received the hardcover anniversary copy for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Recommended to fans of Brennan Manning, Rich Mullins, Timothy Keller, nonfiction

Rating - 4 stars

Mapmaker's Children - A Review

Published - May 2015, Crown Publishers
Author - Sarah McCoy
Title - Mapmaker's Children
Format - hardcover, paper, audio, ebook
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About the book (from Goodreads):
When Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown, realizes that her artistic talents may be able to help save the lives of slaves fleeing north, she becomes one of the Underground Railroad’s leading mapmakers, taking her cues from the slave code quilts and hiding her maps within her paintings. She boldly embraces this calling after being told the shocking news that she can’t bear children, but as the country steers toward bloody civil war, Sarah faces difficult sacrifices that could put all she loves in peril.
   Eden, a modern woman desperate to conceive a child with her husband, moves to an old house in the suburbs and discovers a porcelain head hidden in the root cellar—the remains of an Underground Railroad doll with an extraordinary past of secret messages, danger and deliverance. 
   Ingeniously plotted to a riveting end, Sarah and Eden’s woven lives connect the past to the present, forcing each of them to define courage, family, love, and legacy in a new way.

My thoughts:
This is a new author to me. So I wasn't sure what to expect. I was drawn into the story rather quickly. Despite the fact that it took me a few months to read the book. That's due to other review commitments I had going on. I've always been fascinated with the Civil War time period and this is set partially in the prewar months. 

I really enjoyed both the modern story and the historical one. As Eden uncovers the secrets of her house, Sarah's story is told. I knew really knew that there were maps for the slaves to follow. I mean, I knew about the follow the drinking gourd and understood that meant the Big Dipper/Little Dipper.

The detail in this book was amazing. I really enjoyed getting deeper into history of an era I already loved. 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books program for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Gone With the Wind, Sara Gruen, Lisa Wingate, contemporary fiction, historical fiction

Rating - 4 stars

Reservations for Two - A Review

Published - April 2015, Waterbrook/Multnomah
Series - Two Blue Doors Book 2
Author - Hillary Manton Lodge
Title - Reservations for Two
Format - paper, ebook
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Summary from Goodreads:
Food writer-turned-restaurateur Juliette D’Alisa has more than enough on her plate. While her trip to Provence might have unlocked new answers to her grandmother’s past, it’s also provided new complications in the form of Neil McLaren, the man she can’t give up. 

Juliette and Neil find romance simple as they travel through Provence and Tuscany together, but life back home presents a different set of challenges. Juliette has a restaurant to open, a mother combating serious illness, and a family legacy of secrets to untangle – how does Neil, living so far away in Memphis, fit into to her life? 

As she confronts an uncertain future, Juliette can’t help but wish that life could be as straightforward as her chocolate chip cookie recipe. Can her French grandmother’s letters from the 1940’s provide wisdom to guide her present? Or will every new insight create a fresh batch of mysteries?

My Thoughts:
First this book stands alone. It's also the first time I have read one of Hillary Manton Lodge's books. And honestly, it didn't keep my interest. I LOVED the recipes in the book, but I wasn't wanting to keep reading. I struggled with it. Sure parts of it intrigued me, but those parts weren't enough to keep me WANTING to read the book.

I did love the trip through the European countryside. I felt like I was there with the characters. But I felt really kinda blah about the characters and their relationship. Would I try it again? Maybe someday, especially if I get a chance to read the first book.

I received the Kindle version of this book for free from Blogging for Books for the Purpose of reviewing. I was not required to like the book, only to give my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating - 3 stars

Pharaoh's Daughter - A Review

Published - March 2015, Waterbrook/Multnomah Books
Author - Mesu Andrews
Title - The Pharaoh's Daughter
Format - ebook, paper, audio
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Summary from Amazon
Anippe has grown up in the shadows of Egypt’s good god Pharaoh, aware that Anubis, god of the afterlife, may take her or her siblings at any moment. She watched him snatch her mother and infant brother during childbirth, a moment which awakens in her a terrible dread of ever bearing a child. Now she is to be become the bride of Sebak, a kind but quick-tempered Captain of Pharaoh Tut’s army. In order to provide Sebak the heir he deserves and yet protect herself from the underworld gods, Anippe must launch a series of deceptions, even involving the Hebrew midwives—women ordered by Tut to drown the sons of their own people in the Nile. 
     When she finds a baby floating in a basket on the great river, Anippe believes Egypt’s gods have answered her pleas, entrenching her more deeply in deception and placing her and her son Mehy, whom handmaiden Miriam calls Moses, in mortal danger.
  As bloodshed and savage politics shift the balance of power in Egypt, the gods reveal their fickle natures and Anippe wonders if her son, a boy of Hebrew blood, could one day become king. Or does the god of her Hebrew servants, the one they call El Shaddai, have a different plan—for them all?

My Thoughts:
I've read some of Mesu Andrews books before, and I've enjoyed them. This one was no different. I loved how much research the author put into the book. I've not read a lot about the Egyptian Princess who raised Moses, so it was fun to read one. 

I'll admit that I got a bit confused as to who was who in the story. I also did find it to be a little slow moving at times. Still, I enjoyed it. Especially since Biblical fiction isn't one of my favorite genres. 

I really liked Anippe. I liked how she changed and grew during the course of the book. And the Hebrew midwives. They were pretty awesome.

Recommended to fans of Biblical Fiction, historical fiction, Jill Eileen Smith

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Rating - 4 stars

Where Treetops Glisten - A Review

Published - September 2014, Waterbrook Press
Author - Cara Putman, Sarah Sundin, & Tricia Goyer
Title - Where Treetops Glisten
Format - paper, ebook
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Three siblings find hope and love at Christmas during a war torn world.

White Christmas by Cara Putman - It's been a year since Pearl Harbor and Abigail Turner tries to heal her grieving heart at the loss of her high school sweetheart in Pearl by staying busy as a college student and working at a one-of-a-kind candy shop. She doesn't feel ready for any sort of romantic relationships, at least not until she meets Jackson Lucas, a young man with a big problem. As Abigail and Jackson find their paths crossing over and over, she begins to fall for this gentle man. Can love truly heal all wounds?

My thoughts: This was a sweet story. I loved the interactions of Abigail and Jackson. I loved how he was determined to provide for his family and that Abigail's father was willing to help with his problem. Overall, this story was sweet and made me go "awe." Rating - 4 stars.

I'll Be Home for Christmas by Sarah Sundin - Pete Turner is a fighter pilot returned from the European front in December of 1943. He's hoping to find the hope and peace his time overseas has stolen from him. When he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend, Pete finds his heart melting a little. Yet can he convince her widowed mother that he's not the same bully of a boy she once knew? And will Grace allow herself to love another man whose dangerous Army job may cost him his life?

My thoughts: This was probably my favorite of all three stories. I loved Linnie, the little girl. I loved how she just waltzed in and stole the hearts of everyone. I also loved how Pete was determined to not be the boy Grace remembered. Rating - 4.5 stars

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Tricia Goyer - In December 1944, Meredith "Merry" Turner in an Army nurse in the Netherlands. She's had her heart broken once and is wary of trusting another man. Yet when she comes into contact with the one man who broker her heart, will she listen to him or run away?

My thoughts: Of the three novellas, this is the only one set on the front lines. I loved how Merry kept trying to forget David but couldn't. I also loved how when she finally meets up with him, that they both realize how much wasn't shared that could have prevented a big misunderstanding. And the villagers in the town were pretty sweet in all that they provided for the Americans. Rating - 4 stars.

Overall thoughts: I loved how this book takes you through the entire war beginning with Christmas 1941 in the prologue and ending with Christmas 1945 in the epilogue. I think next to the Civil War period, WWII is my favorite time period to read about. I loved how all three authors tied their stories together.

I received the Kindle copy as well as a paper copy for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of WWII fiction, Sarah Sundin, Tricia Goyer, and Cara Putman.

Rating - 4 stars

Through the Deep Waters - A Review

Published May 2014, Waterbrook Press
Author - Kim Vogel Sawyer
Title - Through the Deep Waters
Format - ebook, hardcover, paper, audio
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Born to a prostitute and raised in a popular Chicago brothel, seventeen year old Dinah Hubley longs to escape the life she's been exposed to her entire life. When she hears that Mr. Harvey is hiring waitresses for his chain of restaurants along the railroad in the West, she dreams of becoming one of the Harvey Girls. But then she learns she doesn't meet the age requirement. With no other option left to her, she accepts a position as a chamber maid at the Clifton Hotel in Florence, Kansas. Surrounded by all of the beauty of the hotel, Dinah begins to feel more worthless due to one horrible decision she made to survive. As Dinah begins to become accustomed to her duties at the hotel, her outgoing roommate invites her to church. There Dinah meets Amos Ackerman, a local chicken farmer, and as he shows interest in her, she withdraws further. Will Amos be able to show Dinah Christ's love?

I've read several of Kim Vogel Sawyer's books and have enjoyed each one. This one caught my attention due to the fact it involved Harvey Girls, a topic I've long enjoyed ever since the Judy Garland musical The Harvey Girls.

This one isn't the light-hearted book I typically enjoy with historical fiction. It is very deep. Every one of the main characters struggle with sin. For Dinah, it's the sin of her past. For Amos, it's the sin of disobedience (he decides to do things on his own time table and his own way). For Ruthie, it's the sin of jealousy. But still, each of those characters come to realize what they are doing and find repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ. Dinah's transformation is probably the most gripping of the entire story. Because she didn't know her Savior prior to meeting Ruthie and Amos.

But I love the message of forgiveness woven through the pages of this book. I also love how the author doesn't sugar coat the sin. She deals with it bluntly and honestly. And for me, that is rather refreshing as I've read several authors who gloss over sin.

I look forward to what Kim Vogel Sawyer will bring us next, because her books are usually pretty good.

I received the Kindle version of this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Francine Rivers, Jody Hedlund, Kim Vogel Sawyer, historical fiction

Rating - 4 stars

Spoken For - A Review

Published - April 2014, Multnomah Books
Author - Robin Jones Gunn & Alyssa Joy Bethke
Title - Spoken For
Format - ebook, paper
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Summary (From Amazon)
 Say Yes to the Love Story of Your Life

A great romance was set in motion before you were born. A relentless Lover is pursuing you, and He has made His intentions clear. He wants you to be His forever. How will you respond to the One who longs for you to be His with your whole heart?

In Spoken For, Robin Jones Gunn and Alyssa Joy Bethke speak to your heart about what it means for you to belong to Christ, who you are because of His love, and how that affects the way you live. Drawing on biblical promises and their personal experiences,   these two friends share what it’s like to live out God’s unfolding love story.

You are not up for grabs. You are spoken for.

Includes questions for group discussion and personal reflection.

My thoughts:

Those who know me, know it'll take a lot to get me to read nonfiction. A VERY LOT. But when a nonfiction book by one of my all time favorite authors (Robin Jones Gunn) pops up, I"m more apt to read it than to not read it. 

In this book, the authors make the reader feel as if you're right there with them sipping tea and chatting. I love that. I felt that I was able to really see their hearts. I didn't feel that this book was textbook like in it's writing, but an actual conversation with the authors. 

I also loved the way that they pointed out that Someone wants you the reader. I have made a copy of the various Scriptures for my journal for further reflection and study. They may not have set out to do this, but I found it happening and I"m glad that they did, I found myself wanting and even longing to spend more time in God's Word, really getting to know Him so much more than before. 

Anyway, as someone who doesn't read nonfiction, I really enjoyed this book. I plan on loaning it to a friend, but I'll want it back. :) 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Robin Jones Gunn, Bible Study, Liz Curtis Higgs, Beth Moore

Rating - 5 stars

Echoes of Mercy - A Review

Publisher - Waterbrook Press, January 2014

Author - Kim Vogel Sawyer

Title - Echoes of Mercy

Format - paper, ebook, audio

Buy from Amazon

When an accident at the Dinsmore Chocolate Factory takes the life of an undercover Labor Commission agent, Caroline Lang is sent undercover to investigate. Caroline gets the job of toter, which is toting the trays of chocolates to the packagers. Her questions draw more attention than she wants. Both the manager, Gordon Hightower, and the young janitor, Ollie Moore have taken notice of her. Ollie has a secret himself - he's really the son of the owner. As Caroline and Ollie began to form attachments to each other, a complication arises in the form of three children needing care. Caroline feels strongly that the children belong in school and not working. Ollie doesn't understand why. But as they join forces to care for the children, will they reach an understanding on their very different viewpoints? Also will she find the truth behind the death of her fellow agent?

I've read others of Kim Vogel Sawyer's in the past and found them to be rather slow moving. This one intrigued me. First it's set in a chocolate factory. That alone was enough to garner my interest. But the fact that both of the main characters were undercover made it even more interesting for me. I enjoyed their interactions and how each respected the other's opinion - even when it didn't match with their own.

I found that the "villian" in the story was a man who wanted wealth but went about it the wrong way. I felt a little sorry for him to be honest.

The way that Carrie lived her faith and depended on it was something that caught my eye. She was genuine. To the point that when Ollie asked her what was different, she was able to say her faith.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook/Multnomah's Blogging for books program for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Tracie Peterson, Beth Wiseman, Amanda Cabot

Rating - 4 stars

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What Once Was Lost - A Review

About the book:
Publisher - Waterbrook/Multnomah, September 2013

Format - ebook, paper

Author - Kim Vogel Sawyer

Buy on Amazon 



Summary (from Amazon):
A woman meant to serve, a child in the dark, a man standing apart—can these three souls embrace a God with new plans for them?

On a small Kansas farm, Christina Willems lovingly shepherds a group of poor and displaced individuals who count on her leadership and have come to see the Brambleville Asylum for the Poor as their home. But when a fire breaks out in the kitchen leaving the house uninhabitable, she must scramble to find shelter for all in her care, scattering her dear “family.”

With no other options, Christina is forced to approach Levi Jonnson, a reclusive mill owner, to take in a young blind boy named Tommy Kilgore. Levi agrees with reluctance but finds himself surprised by the bond that quickly grows between him and Tommy. As obstacles to repairing the farm pile up against Christina, she begins to question her leadership ability and wonders if she can fulfill the mission to which she's dedicated her life. And when an old adversary challenges Christina, will she find an unlikely ally—or more—in the aloof Levi? Can Levi reconcile with the rejection that led to his hermit-like existence and open his heart and life to something more, especially a relationship with a loving God?

My Thoughts:
 This one captured my attention from the beginning. I loved how Levi encouraged Tommy to do things for himself. Christina's determination to keep the "family" of the poor farm residents together was also sweet. I really loved though, how each of the residents found something else for their situation - a place to live, a job, a family, etc. The romance was almost an after thought.

I'd have to say that the overall theme was of letting go. Letting go of resentment, of what the character thought was best, a general surrender. Anyway, I found myself pleasantly surprised by this book. I really wasn't sure what to expect, but I will definitely be reading more by this author.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook/Multnomah's Blogging for Books Program for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Lauraine Snelling, Tracie Peterson, Robin Lee Hatcher, historical fiction

Rating - 4 stars. A solid 4 star rating.

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Burning Sky - A Review

About the book (from Amazon)
“I remember the borders of our land, though I have been gone from them nearly half the moons of my life. But who there will remember me? What I have seen, what I have done, it has changed me.
 
I am the place where two rivers meet, silted with upheaval and loss.
 
Yet memory of our land is a clear stream. I shall know it as a mother knows the faces of her children. It may be I will find me there.“
  Abducted by Mohawk Indians at fourteen and renamed Burning Sky, Willa Obenchain is driven to return to her family’s New York frontier homestead after many years building a life with the People. At the boundary of her father’s property, Willa discovers a wounded Scotsman lying in her path. Feeling obliged to nurse his injuries, the two quickly find much has changed during her twelve-year absence—her childhood home is in disrepair, her missing parents are rumored to be Tories, and the young Richard Waring she once admired is now grown into a man twisted by the horrors of war and claiming ownership of the Obenchain land.

When her Mohawk brother arrives and questions her place in the white world, the cultural divide blurs Willa’s vision. Can she follow Tames-His-Horse back to the People now that she is no longer Burning Sky? And what about Neil MacGregor, the kind and loyal botanist who does not fit into in her plan for a solitary life, yet is now helping her revive her farm? In the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, strong feelings against “savages” abound in the nearby village of Shiloh, leaving Willa’s safety unsure.

Willa is a woman caught between two worlds. As tensions rise, challenging her shielded heart, the woman called Burning Sky must find a new courage--the courage to again risk embracing the blessings the Almighty wants to bestow. Is she brave enough to love again?

My thoughts
Whenever I think of the American Frontier, I immediately think of the American West (ie Oklahoma, Wyoming, etc) and tend to forget that after the Revolution, the frontier was Western New York, Pennsylvania, etc. So once I finally got the setting firm in my mind (it took me about halfway through the book to do that), I was able to picture the story better. This book is beautifully written with strong characters. But it moves VERY slow. It didn't hold my interest for well past 100+ pages. Once I was hooked though, I devoured it. I found Willa to be stronger than most heroines I've read about. She had no choice but to be as her circumstances demanded it. I did learn things about this period of our nation's history that I'd not known before.

Overall, this wasn't my favorite book, and probably won't make my read again shelf. Still I know that for others who love books rich in history, this would be one that they would enjoy.

I received both the paperback and the Kindle copy for free from Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishers Blogging for Books program for the purpose of reviewing. I was not required to like the book, only give my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating - 3.5 stars, which will be 3 stars on Amazon. 

Recommended to fans of historical fiction, Jocelyn Green, Laura Frantz

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