Book Review: Far Side of the Sea

 

Far Side of the Sea

by Kate Breslin

Pub Date 05 Mar 2019 | 

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian 

I am reviewing a copy of our Far Side of the Sea up through Bethany House and Netgalley:

The Spring of 1918 Lieutenant Colin Mabry, a British soldier working with MI8 after suffering injuries on the front, receives a message by carrier pigeon.  The message he believes is from Jewel Reyer, the woman he once loved and who saved his life a woman he believed to be dead. Traveling to France to answer her urgent summons, he desperately hopes this mission will ease his guilt and restore the courage he lost on the battlefield.

When Colin discovers the message came from Jewel's Half Sister Johanna. Johanna, who works at a dovecote for French Army Intelligence, found Jewel's diary and believes her sister is alive in the custody of a German agent. With spies everywhere, Colin is skeptical of Johanna, but as they travel across France and Spain, a tentative trust begins to grow between them.

When their pursuit leads them straight into the midst of a treacherous plot, danger and deception turn their search for answers into a battle for their lives.

I give Far Side of the Sea five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: A Deep Divide

 

A Deep Divide

by Kimberley Woodhouse

Pub Date 05 Oct 2021

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction  |  Romance 

I am reviewing a copy of A Deep Divide through Bethany House and Netgalley:

Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it,  After being kidnapped as a child her world was turned upside down, after she discovers it was her Father.  has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

After Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits. 

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace despite an immediate mutual attraction, she she can't let go of the deep-rooted fear that he's just like every other wealthy man she's known.  When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

I give A Deep Divide five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Clutter Fix

 

The Clutter Fix

The No-Fail, Stress-Free Guide to Organizing Your Home

by Shannon Acheson

Pub Date 13 Sep 2022 

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian  |  Home & Garden  |  Religion & Spirituality 

I am reviewing a copy of The Clutter Fix and Netgalley:

If you are living in a disorganized home and are in search of organizational tips, because a cluttered home can quickly start to make you feel chaotic anxious, and even depressed. You want a change, but you don't know where to begin.

Home coach Shannon Acheson is here to help. She has written the only book you'll ever need to get your entire home sorted and organized for good--in a way that makes sense for you and your family's unique, God-given personalities.

In The Clutter Fix, Shannon helps you to win the battle with all of your stuff by following her step-by-step instructions, as well as her checklist.

It allows you to discover your Clutter Personality and your Organizing Personality as well as to create rhythms and routines to keep your home decluttered 

Clutter isn't just about the stuff. It's about how you feel in your home--and in your mind. This book will give you the peaceful dwelling you've always hoped for.

I give The Clutter Fix five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Writing to Save A Life

 

Writing to Save a Life

The Louis Till File

by John Edgar Wideman

Pub Date 15 Nov 2016 

 Scribner 

I am reviewing a copy of Writing to Save a Life through Scribner and Netgalley:

Emmett Till had taken a train from his home in Chicago to visit family in Money, Mississippi, a few weeks later he returned home but he was dead.  Murdered because he was a colored boy and had, allegedly, whistled at a white woman. His mother, Mamie Till, chose to display her son’s brutalized face in a glass-topped casket, “so the world can see what they did to my baby.”

The Murder of Emmett Till and his mother’s refusal to allow his story to be forgotten have become American legends. But one darkly significant twist in the Till legend is rarely mentioned: Louis Till, Emmett’s father, Mamie’s husband, a soldier during World War II, was executed in Italy for committing rape and murder.

In 1955 when Wideman and Emmett were only fourteen years old , Wideman saw a horrific photograph of dead Emmett’s battered face. Decades later, upon discovering that Louis Till had been court-martialed and hanged, he was impelled to investigate the tragically intertwined fates of father and son. Writing to Save a Life is “part exploration and part meditation, a searching account of [Wideman’s] attempt to learn more about the short life of Louis Till” (The New York Times Book Review) and shine light on the truths that have remained in darkness.

I give Writing to Save A Life five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Passages of Hope

 

Passages of Hope

by Terri J. Haynes

Pub Date 01 Nov 2022 

 Barbour Publishing,  Barbour Fiction

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction  |  Romance 

I am reviewing a copy Passages of Hope through Barbour Publishing and and Netgalley:

When Gracie Kingston begins renovations on the Philadelphia house inherited from her grandmother and finds a secret room. It is connected to a house nearby, the home of William Still, the man known as the father of the Underground Railroad.

As Gracie researches she uncovers a mystery in her house’s ownership. In 1855, Olivia Kingston helps a mother and her young child by hiding them in a secret room in her home. As she helps, she learns that there may be an impostor conductor in their community. As Gracie’s and Olivia’s stories intertwine, they learn the meaning of sacrifice and love.

I give Passages of Hope five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: By the Way of Moonlight

By Way of the Moonlight

by Elizabeth Musser

Pub Date 02 Aug 2022r

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian 

I am reviewing a copy of By the Way of Moonlight through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

Allie Massey, a gifted physical therapist, has dreamed of making her grandparents' ten-acre estate into a trauma recovery center using equine therapy--a dream her grandmother, for as long as she can remember.  Nana Dale, embraced wholeheartedly. But when her grandmother's will is read, Allie is shocked to learn the property has been sold to a developer.

Decades earlier, headstrong Dale Butler's driving passion is to bring home the prized filly her family lost to the Great Depression, but with World War II looming, she's called upon in ways she never could have imagined. And while her world expands to include new friends and new love, tragedy strikes close to home one fateful night during the Battle of the Atlantic, changing her life forever.

When Nana Dale's Past comes to light in Allie's search for answers, Dale's courage and persistence may be just what Allie needs to carry on her grandmother's legacy and keep her own dreams alive.

I give By the Way of Moonlight five out of five stars! 

Happy Reading!

Book Review: What Happened to Rachel Riley

 

What Happened to Rachel Riley?

by Claire Swinarski

Pub Date 10 Jan 2023

 HarperCollins Children's Books,  Quill Tree Books

 Children's Fiction  |  Middle Grade  |  Mystery & Thrillers

I am reviewing a copy of What Happened to Rachel Riley through HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books and Netgalley:

Anna Hunt is the new girl at East Middle School but she can already tell there's something off about her eighth grade class.  

Rachel Riley, who just last year was one of the most popular girls in school, has become a social outcast. But no one, including Rachel Riley herself, will tell Anna why.

As a die-hard podcast enthusiast, Anna knows there’s always more to a story than meets the eye. So she decides to put her fact-seeking skills to the test and create her own podcast around the question that won’t stop running through her head: What happened to Rachel Riley?

Anna dives headfirst into the evidence despite the entire eighth grade class working against her.  With each new clue the mystery widens, painting an even more complex story than Anna could have anticipated. But there’s one thing she’s certain of: If you’re going to ask a complicated question, you better be prepared for the fallout that may come with the answer. 

I give What Happened to Rachel Riley five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: On Air with Zoe Washington

 

On Air with Zoe Washington

by Janae Marks

Pub Date 14 Feb 2023 

 HarperCollins Children's Books,  Katherine Tegen Books

 Children's Fiction  |  Middle Grade 

I am reviewing a copy of On Air With Zoe Washington through HarperCollins Children's Book and Netgalley:

Zoe Washington helped clear Marcus’ name for a crime he didn’t commit two years ago.  Now her birth father has finally been released from prison and to an outpouring of community support. So, everything should be perfect. Right?

Zoe and Marcus are now coworkers at Ari Cakes, so it's true life hasn't been better.  But after Marcus reveals his lifelong dream of opening his own restaurant, Zoe becomes determined to help him achieve it with her as his pastry chef of course. She still has a lot of new desserts to invent!

Despite being innocent starting a new place is harder than it looks and despite being innocent, Marcus is having a harder time re-entering society than anyone expected. Determined to find a solution, Zoe starts a podcast to bring light to the struggles exonerees experience and fundraise for their restaurant.

Zoe finds herself being stretched thin between hosting her show, testing recipes, managing shifting friend dynamics, and trying to make sure Marcus and her stepdad each have enough time with her.  She knows the power of using her voice.  But with waning public interest in their story, will anyone still be listening?

I give on the Air With Zoe Washington five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Hedy Lamarr

 

Hedy Lamarr

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Pub Date 03 Jan 2023 | Archive Date 20 Dec 2022

 Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books,  Frances Lincoln Children's Books

 Biographies & Memoirs  |  Children's Nonfiction  |  Science

I am reviewing a copy of Hedy Lamarr through Frances Lincoln Children's Books-Quarto Publishing Group and Netgalley:

From a young age Heddy Lamarr was fascinated with machines, She loved to sit with her father and hear all about scientific theories.  A gifted musician and actress, she soon found fame on the stage, but her scientific curiosity never stopped.

Heddy came up with ingenious inventions, blazing a trail for women in science and making great strides towards science.  Heddy did well with electronics, chemistry, engineering – whatever Hedy put her mind to.  She not only had a glittering film career, but developed the technology that formed the basis of Wifi and Bluetooth used in our world day.

This book is beautifully illustrated as well as informative and will remind children what they can do if they put their mind to it.

I give Heddy Lamarr five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Beneath His Silence

 

Beneath His Silence

by Hannah Linder

Pub Date 01 Nov 2022 | Archive Date 30 Nov 2022

 Barbour Publishing,  Barbour Fiction

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction  |  Romance 

I am reviewing a copy of Beneath His Silence through Barbour Publishing/Barbour Fiction and Netgalley:

Ella Pemberton is no governess. But the pretense is a necessity if she ever wishes to get inside of Wyckhorn Manor and attain the truth.  Ella is in fact the second daughter of a Barron.  But she needs to get inside the Wyckhorn Manor in order to expose the man who killed her sister.

Lord Sedgewick knows that there is blood  on his hands. Lies have been conceived, then more lies, but the price of truth would be too great. All he has left now is his son—and his hatred. Yet as the charming governess invades his home, his safe cocoon of bitterness begins to tear away.

Could Ella, despite the lingering questions of his guilt, fall in love with such a man? Or is she falling prey to him—just as her dead sister?

I give Beneath His Silence five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Divine Dispatch

 

Divine Dispatch

Discover, Develop and Deploy Your Kingdom Assignment

by LaJun Cole; Valora Cole

Pub Date 11 Oct 2022 | Archive Date 31 Oct 2022

 Chosen,  Chosen Books

 Christian  |  Nonfiction (Adult)  |  Religion & Spirituality 

I am reviewing a copy of Divine Dispatch through Chosen Books and Netgalley:

God sent people like Joseph, Deborah, David, Jesus and Paul to accomplish His purposes on the earth, throughout the Bible.  You were born with a divine assignment and distinct assignment to make a difference. Yet most of us have trouble recognizing what that actually is--let alone living it out day-to-day.

This book is filled with practical insights and tangible takeaways, this book will help you discern how the Lord has uniquely equipped you--and for what purpose. You'll also learn how to master and maximize your gifts and discover how to joyfully carry out His call on your life each and every day.

We were created to become a force of change in the lives of others--to reform, transform, ignite hope, solve problems, and bring healing and deliverance. It's time to find and fulfill the reason you are here.

I give Divine Dispatch five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Brave Bird at Wounded Knee

 

Brave Bird at Wounded Knee

A Story of Protest on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

by Rachel Bithell

Pub Date 01 Jan 2023 

 North Star Editions,  Jolly Fish Press

 Historical Fiction  |  Middle Grade

I am reviewing a copy of Brave Bird at Wounded Knee through North Star editions, Jolly Fish Press and Netgalley:

Patsy Antoine doesn’t usually give much thought to her relatives living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, in 1973, Denver Colorado.  After all, her classmates don’t even know she’s part Lakota. Then she learns the tiny town of Wounded Knee has been occupied. Now Patsy’s relatives are stuck amid the conflict between American Indian Movement activists and Oglala Lakota tribe members on the one side, and federal marshals and FBI agents on the other. When Patsy visits her relatives on Pine Ridge, she learns more about her heritage and the clashing perspectives on the Wounded Knee occupation. As she connects with her roots, Patsy must grapple with the complexities of the conflict and of being biracial.

The storytellers are the ones that keep a nation’s history. But what happens when some stories are silenced?

I give Brave Bird at Wounded Knee five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: A Feeling of Home

 

A Feeling of Home

by Susan Anne Mason

Pub Date 05 Jul 2022 

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction 

I am reviewing a copy of A Feeling of Home through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

Isabelle Waldrop's well to do life has completely unraveled.  Within months, she's lost both her parents, her fortune, and her home.  With nowhere else to turn, she and her younger sister move in with a trusted former servant in an impoverished area of the city. Desperate for work but having no qualifications, Isabelle is forced to accept help from Dr. Mark Henshaw, the very man she blames for her mother's death.

Mark Henshaw has admired Isabelle for several months, but after the tragic death of her mother, he vows to make amends for the past and help her find her way. But when Mark learns his younger brother has formed an undesirable friendship with Isabelle's sister one that brings a whole new set of problems into their lives--he doesn't know if Isabelle will ever forgive him.

After startling developments begin to take place, both within Isabelle's heart and their siblings' relationship, her future looks very different than anything she could have imagined.

I give A Feeling of Home five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Targeted

 

Targeted

Three Romantic Suspense Novellas

by Lynette Eason; Lynn H. Blackburn; Natalie Walters

Pub Date 01 Nov 2022 

 Revell 

Christian

I am reviewing a copy of Targeted through Revell and Netgalley:

This book includes three romantic suspense Novella's, the first is On the Run, where we meet It Specialist Daria Nevsky who is a highly skilled FBI Agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead and Dr Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In the second novella Deadly Objective we meet In Deadly Objective, physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper are committed to keeping their relationship professional.  After the vice president's son enters the crosshairs of a killer, some lines will have to be crossed in order to keep him safe.

And in Caught in the Crosshairs there is no love lost between former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman and CIA officer Claudia Gallegos after Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. But to prevent a coup that would put America at risk, they'll have to learn to trust each other before it's too late.

I give Targeted five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!