Sovereign - Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee

Dear Readers,

 

Sometimes I put off reading a book by a favorite author for various reasons.  With Sovereign by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee it was I wanted the time to read it and just enjoy it.  I was planning on reading it during a vacation, but instead it got knocked to the bottom of the pile and (regrettably) I forgot about it.

 

Thankfully the paperback version hit the shelves a couple of weeks ago and reminded me that I really wanted to read the conclusion to the Books of the Immortal series. 

 

The Sovereign are dying.  Their numbers have dwindled to a mere 30 survivors and they hide in the catacombs below the city.  They fight for food and survival from the Dark Blood and the Immortals.  Neither group wants them to live and will kill one on sight.  They have learned to use their wits and struggle to hold on to their faith in Jonathan. 

 

When alchemist, Mattius, discovers a virus that will kill the Dark Bloods and Immortals but spare the Sovereign, some see it as a gift from Jonathan and others see it as no better than the original virus that rid the world of emotions so many years ago.

 

I won't go into too many details as I figure most of you that like Ted and Tosca's series have long ago read it, but I still wanted to let you know that if you haven't read it it is well worth the read.  The entire series is interesting and leaves you wondering about what it would be like if we had no emotions and were ruled by fear. 

 

I am also at this time reading Ted's newest release, Outlaw.  That is once again a very different look inside Ted's brain.  He was raised in the jungles of Indochina and because of those experiences he is able to write a book that almost no one else could write.  I will be reviewing the book soon.

 

Happy Reading

New Release - Stolen Legacy - David and Diane Munson

Dear Readers,

It is always great fun to get to know authors, whether they live near or far.  But there is great pleasure in finding authors that write about our own neighborhood that makes that pleasure even bigger. 

David and Diane Munson have been friends of mine for several years now.  They stopped into the Baker Book House I was working at and introduced themselves and told me about their books.  At the time they were being published by a little publishing house in the area and they had to do their own promotion.  Which by the way, they do very well.   With a local link, they became favorites to many in the area and each new one is met with excitement.  Stolen Legacy is their 8th book.

Eva Montanna is back and drawn into a mystery that involves her family.  She finds out her Grandpa Marty worked with the Dutch Resistance to hide Jewish families from the Gestapo.  Now an enemy has returned vowing revenge on his family.  Will Eva be able to find the answers to the conflict and save her family?

Taken from their experiences and their own family history, the Munson write books the are often easily confused with the headlines you hear and see every day.  The books have interesting characters in them and they will give you a good glimpse into what it was like being raised in Michigan, but also what it is like working for the goverment.

The Munson are great ones to invite to a bookclub or signing as they have many wonderful stories to tell that haven't made it into one of their books yet. They travel all over the country and love to connect with fans.

Happy Reading

New Release - To Know You - Shanon Ethridge/Kathryn Mackel

Dear Readers,

I have read book by both of the authors of this release.  Shannon Ethridge is known for her books for women about sexuality in a Biblical sense.  Kathryn Mackel is known for her issue driven fiction books.  When these two team up you know you are in for a book that will not pull punches and yet be sensitive to the topic.

To Know You by Shannon and Kathryn takes on the topic of your past.  Things that Julia never wanted to talk about to anyone has come to the forefront of her family's life.  Her son Dillon needs a living liver transplant.  It is his only chance of survival, the problem is no one in the immediate family is a match.  Well there is a chance one of his half sisters is a match, but they have never met their birth mother and Julia isn't sure they will want to be any help.

For Julia it means traveling back to a time that she would rather not remember.  A time where she made some very bad choices and then gave up her daughters and never spoke to them again.  What will she find when she finally gets a chance to meet her daughters?  Women that are making the same mistakes she made? Will she be able to except her daughters as they are or help them?

Shannon and Kathryn are both authors that I recommend and am very excited to see that they are writing books that have very relative issues for woman today.

Happy Reading

New Releases - October 21-26

Dear Readers,

The new books continue to pour into the store.  I keep thinking we will get a lull soon, but right now you can enjoy a time of  plenty.  Personally it makes my to be read pile almost over whelming but then again I do like a challenge.  How about you?  How is that TBR pile looking?

Happy Reading

The Church Builder - A.L. Shield - Bethany is mourning the death of her running buddy, Annabelle.  When Annabelle was hit by a hit and run driver, the police just thought it was another homeless person and not much was done.  When a client's son is killed, they are beginning to wonder if Bethany had something to do with that murder also.

To Know You - Shannon Ethridge/Kathryn Mackel - The only hope for Julia's son is two daughters she gave up for adoption years ago.  Will they be willing to forgive their birth mother and help an half brother they have never met?

My Hope is Found - Joanne Bischof - #3 The Cadence of Grace - Gideon is once again free to love Lonnie, but has he lost her before he has a chance to return to her?

Heart Failure - Richard L. Mabry M.D. - Medical thrillers at its best.  Carrie found a second love almost to good to be true.  When Adam confesses that he is on the run from the witness program and now they are both in danger.

Governess of Highland Hall - Carrie Turansky - For Downton Abbey fans. - Julia takes on a job as a governess to help support her parents who have returned from the mission field due to illness.

A Marriage in Middlebury - Anita Higman -Charlotte is comfortable in the life she leads.  Until a long lost love returns and she finds there might be something missing.

For Love or Loyalty - Jennifer Hudson Taylor - #1 The MacGregor Legacy - Lauren is willing to help the MacGregor clan free their mother from indentured servitude, the problem is she doesn't know that she is the bargaining chip.

Payback in Panama - Noel Hynd - The Cuban Trilogy -Alexandra knows this is a do or die mission.  Her fight will take her to the criminal underworld across the Western Hemisphere.

Critical Reaction - Todd M. Johnson - What really happened that night the out nuclear facility blew?  Kieran is determined to find out.  He will need help from an old friend, Emily.

The Elegant Solution - Paul Robertson - Drawn into the murder of his master's brother, Leonard discovers he is facing a very elusive puzzle.  One that is complicated by math but also who wanted Jacob dead.

Stolen Legacy - Diane & David Munson - (from the backcover) WWII history and Dutch resistance come alive when (Eva) discovers her Grandpa Marty hid Jewish families from the Gestapo.

New Release - All God's Children - Anna Schmidt

Dear Readers,

There has been a lot of interest in books about WWII again.  In our area the books about the Dutch resistance are really big right now.  Some of the stories are about our own families as many of our relatives moved over to America after the war. 

All God's Children by Anna Schmidt is set in Munich just at the start of the war.  Beth is on a vacation of her dreams, but while in Munich WWII erupts and catchers her unable to get out to head back home.  She is a Quaker so she refuses to take sides.  While she tries to find a way home, she becomes aware of the least of these that need rescuing. As the danger rises Beth decides to say and help.

There are certian things that we will never know what we will do until we are actually in the situation the will require and answer.  One of the being, would we have stood against the Nazi advancement or would we have sided with them and helped turn in Jewish neighbors and friends?  I would like to think I would have joined the resistance, but that is easy to say from this side where my family is safe and their is not threat of being shot or imprisioned. 

But books like this help us to think about what we would do if and when that would arise.  I still can't say for sure I would do what is right, but I really would like to think that I would.

Happy Reading.

Melissa Jagears

Dear Readers,

 

Sometimes a light romance is all I really need to read.  I was suffering from a cold a few weeks ago and the cold medicine I was on made it hard to concentrate on a book. A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears was actually the perfect book to read. 

 

Everett Cline has tried 3 times for a mail order bride and three times he has come up empty, jilted in fact.  One the bride was married to someone she met on the train ride and one of the other brides took one look at his homestead and decided to find a better prospect.  He vows to never try again, until his meddling friend Rachel sends for a bride without telling him. 

 

Julia is looking to get out of town.  She has become a pretty pawn for her father and his business and her former fiance' turned out to be less than she thought he was.  She is at the end of her rope, but she isn't sure Everett is really all that interested in marrying her either.

 

Mail-order brides always seem to do well in the historical fiction department.  Maybe because to most of us the idea of marrying someone sight unseen is slightly terrifying.  I am not sure I would have ever been brave enough to just hop on a train to the middle of nowhere and marry the guy waiting on the other end, but because of these brave women our country and many others were settled and made in to the great countries we know today.

 

Like I said before, this is not a hard read, it is just a fun little read that gives you a little peek into some of the stresses of what it is was like to meet a complete stranger and then take her home as your wife. 

 

Happy Reading

New Release - Outlaw - Ted Dekker

Dear Readers,

Ted Dekker takes his readers a strange and wonderful journey everytime you open the covers of one of his books.  I was standing in one of the isles here at the store the other day visiting with a customer who was in to pick up Outlaw, Ted's newest release.  We had more fun talking about how we loved so many of his books because they were all so different.

The jacket cover talks about how this is a book that only Ted could write.  It is is set in the dark wilds of the jungles that he was born and raised in.  His experience is very unique and he uses that to write a book that is as different as night and day when compared to the lives we live.

Julian Carter and her two year old son end up on a sailboat tossed about in the seas off the northern tip of Australia.   The year is 1963.  Julian and what happens to her after their ship is lost is the story of nightmares and dreams.

Ted's books will take you to place you may never have expected to go. He has taken us to a strange and wonderful land filled with good and evil.  He has taken us back in history to teach us how beautiful and sexy sin can be.   He has taken us into the mind of killers and into the minds of people who are struggling with the faith.  His books leave you unsettled, but thinking about your own life and faith.

Happy Reading

New Release - Singularity - Steven James

Dear Readers,

I knew Steven James had a hit on his hands when a fellow work who does not read fiction couldn't stop talking about his book The Pawn.  What followed was a series that we both raced to read so we could discuss what was happening and if we had figured out the bad guys and what they were up to.

With such a strong first series I was a little concerned about Steven's next series.  Of course that was unnecessary and he followed up strongly with the Jevin Banks novel Placebo and now Singularity.

Jevin is a magician and he and a friend are about to preform a magnificent stunt live on the internet.  Emilio will be buried alive with 5 live Cobras, he needs to dig himself out of the coffin without being bitten by the snakes and killed.  Well that is the plan, of course there are "tricks" involved like all the snakes have had their venom sack removed and long with a few others.  But someone wanted Emilio dead and the were two extra snakes no one knew about and now Jevin wants to know why.

I will say these books are not as fast-paced as the Patrick Bowers series, but that does not make them any less entertaining.  The mystery and bad guys are still interesting enough that the co-worker who doesn't read fiction is reading this series and looking forward to more of Steven's books.  There are several really quirky main characters which makes the book that much more fun to read.

I think that any conspiracy theorist will love these books.  What is the goverment hiding from us?  What experiements are different companies doing on humans and who is willing to pay for it?  All those kind of fun and funky questions get asked and maybe answered in this series, just remember it is fiction.

Happy Reading

New Releases Oct. 14 - 19

Dear Readers,

The trees are putting their fall finery on.  The temps are dropping and you can smell the hot apple cider in the air.  Time to move that reading chair inside, bummer.  Yet there is something so beautiful about fall.  I love the smell and feel of fall, I just am not ready for the cooler temps.  Oh well here are several new books to help pass those fall evenings by the fire.

Happy Reading. 

The Journey of Josephine Cain - Nancy Moser - An American Tapestry - Josephine Cain is determined to visit her father as he supervises the laying of the Transcontinental Railroad.  It is a life a far cry from what she is use to.

Childless - Dr. James Dobson/Kurt Bruner - As Juddge Santiago get closer to giving a ruling on the death of a mother and disabled son, someone has decided they don't want to wait for the judge, they just want his dead.

Gunpowder Tea - Margaret Brownley - #3 The Brides of Last Chance Ranch - Miranda is on the hunt for the infamous "Phantom."  Hiding as the heiress to the legendary Last Chance Ranch seemed like a great way to find him.  Instead she runs into Jeremy, also looking for the Phantom, and the sparks fly.

The Courier of Caswell Hall - Melanie Dobson - An American Tapestry novel - When Lydia saves a Patriots life, she changes her's forever.  Her family chooses one side, her heart wants to join the other side, forcing Lydia to decide between her family's protection and her heart's desire.

Strait of Hormuz - David Bunn - One call and Marc Royce is once again on an assignment.  He is trying to find the threat to world peace and safety stretching from Asia to the Middle East.

Singularity - Steven James - A Jevin Banks Novel - A mind bending mystery based on scientific realities, Steven James once again takes us all on a wild ride.

Promise to Return - Elizabeth Byler Younts - When the realities of Miriam's Amish world and the world at war during WWII, she has to decide to follow her heart or her religion.

Outlaw - Ted Dekker - From the inside front jacket cover - The story of Julian and her son that end up in the deep dark jungle and what happened there. 

New Release - Shades of Mercy Anita Lustrea/Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadeneira

Dear Readers,

Publishers always believe in their books.  They wouldn't publish them otherwise.  But you can tell when one does a little better than they expect.  Suddenly that is all you are hearing about.  Shades of Mercy by Anita Lustrea and Caryn Dahlstrand Rivadenira seems to be one of those books.

You can tell the publisher did well by this book, it has a beautiful cover and I did seem some advertising on it, but all of the sudden it seems to be everywhere.  Facebook, emails, and ads.  I think it caught them a bit by surprise, but for them best of all has been word of mouth of the readers.

It is 1954 and things in the north woods of Maine are changing.  Mercy Miller is sick of being treated like a boy.  She is now 14 and is ready to be treated like a lady, and one in love at that.  There is one small problem, Mitch is part of the Maliseet tribe and good girls of Watsonville, Maine do not date or fall in love with boys from the Maliseet tribe.

As I write this once again I am out of this book.  Most of the people I have sold it to ask for the book itself because it has been recommended to them by a fellow reader.  That always intrigues me, 'why did they like the book?'  'Is it something I would like?'  'How do I get my hands on a copy?'

So I have ordered more for our shelves and I plan on picking up a copy of it for myself.

Happy Reading

Jolina Petersheim

Dear Readers,

I was drawn to the cover from The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim the minute I saw it.  I thought I would like to get a chance to read it, but this quiet little book surprised not only me, but the publisher as well on how quickly it would sell.  It was unavailable for a bit because the first group was sold out so quickly.

The subtitle is "a modern retelling of the Scarlet Letter."  It is easy to see the parallel to that book, but there are shades of the Rachel and Leah story in the Bible also, and that is what I found so fascinating.

In a quiet and gentle manner, Jolina is able to tell the very intense story of Rachel, a young Amish woman who finds herself in a community far from home.  She moved there to help her twin sister who was having a difficult pregnancy.  While there, Rachel becomes pregnant herself and refuses to name the father, which causes all kinds of uproar in the community.

When the Bishop of the church forces her to leave the community, she ends up living at Ida Mae's house. Ida Mae has her own secrets that she guards.  It puts Ida Mae in a special position to help Rachel in ways no one else probably could. 

The characters are portrayed in a rich and wonderful way, such that at one point I think I was mad or frustrated with all of them.  Which to me means that is a good story.  I became involved in their stories and cared whether or not if they were doing the right thing.

The storyline is not a great mystery and I am sure you can figure out who the father is quickly, but the back story of it is what makes this book so interesting.  I am looking forward to Jolina's next book which is scheduled to come out in 2014.

Happy Reading

New Release - The Spymistress - Jennifer Chiaverini

Dear Readers,

For those that read Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, we were eager to see what was next for Jennifer Chiaverini.  Well with the release of Spymistress we have found out.   The story is based on life of Elizabeth Van Lew.  She was born in the south, educated in the North so when her native state succeed from the Union she went to work against the Confederate Union.

She was able to gather intelligence for the North in a wonderful and wide variety of  ways.  She used things that most people wouldn't think of and she used anyone and everyone that was willing to help, slaves, incarcerated and free.  It didn't matter to her as long as she could get her message to where it needed to be.

Even though she was called by the Northern leaders as a "true Union woman" and and inducted in the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, very few of us have heard of her and what she did in the name of her beliefs.  Jennifer is about to change that and Elizabeth is about to take her rightful place as a hero of the Civil War.

I love this new thing that Jennifer is doing, writing about woman that changed and influenced America's history in ways we would never know about otherwise.  I hope she keep is it up for a long while.

Happy Reading

New Releases - Oct. 7th - 12th

Dear Readers,

Can you believe it is the middle of October already?  It is hard to believe but the cooler temps and the changing colors reminds me.  I love this time of year for curling up in a rocking chair and reading a wonderful new book.  There is more than one on this list that will make for a wonderful afternoon ready.

Happy Reading,

An Honest Heart - Kaye Dacus- The Great Exhibition - Caddy Bainbridge has to choose between two suitors, on an aristocrat and one a working class.  Set in 1851 during the industrial revolution.

Under a Blackberry Moon - Serena B. Miller - Moon Song wanders into the lumber camp seeking refuge from the winter.  She can not stay in a camp of rough and tumble men and so the owner sends her home accompanied by Skypilot.  What they find along the way is love?  Can their  love survive two very different cultures?

A Reluctant Courtship - Laurie Alice Eakes - #3 Daughters of Bainbridge House - Will Honore Bainbridge ever find a suitor that is not shrouded in controversy?

Beloved - Robin Lee Hatcher - #3 Where the Heart Lives - Diana thought her husband was dead, until he returns in time for her engagement party.  She only wants her freedom and he wants a chance to change her mind about him.

Expatriates – James Wesley Rawles- When the US suffers an economic collapse, missionaries Peter and Rhiannon flee the Philippines and head to Australia to stay ahead of the government taking over Indonesia and the surrounding countries

The Spymistress – Jennifer Chiaverini  - This is the fictional tale of a woman who helped the Union army in ways that none would have thought possible. 

The Advent of Murder – Matha Ockley - Faith Morgan is back and still solving mysteries.  When her ex invites her to join in the solving of a murder, Faith is drawn in even when she tells herself she shouldn't be. 

Greeting from the Flipside – Rene Gutteridge/Cheryl McKay - When Hope goes on her honeymoon by herself after being left at the alter, people assume she killed herself.  Once she returns she finds out how hard it is to do anything once you are declared dead.

New Release - Fire in the Night - Linda Byler

Dear Readers,

Fire in the Night by Linda Byler actually released a couple of weeks ago while I was on leave.  But I still wanted to promote it because Linda has such a large following of fans.  She is one of those authors that people and church librarians have come in requesting.  So if you are a fan of Amish fiction and haven't read her yet, she has a new series just starting.

When Sarah's parent's barn burns, she watches her parents reaction to it, but is distracted by Matthew.  He is dating her friend Rose, but seems to be interested in her also.  When a second barn burns the community is frightened and is thinking about getting police protection, but will that be enough to stop some one who is bent on hurting the quiet Amish community.

Like I said before Linda has some very loyal fans, and they know when her new books are due out.  They order them ahead of time and make sure they have them read as quickly as possible.  She publishes with a little publishing company called Good Books.  They don't have a ton of titles yet, but the ones they do have are pretty good.  I love being able to carry books that help the little guy, and when they are good besides that makes it all the more easy.

Happy Reading

New Release - The Promise - Dan Walsh/Gary Smalley

Dear Readers,

A delightful team of gentlemen have agreed to write a series together.  What makes it so interesting to read is that Gary Smalley brings all his knowledge and wisdom of marriages to the table and Dan Walsh brings his southern genre type writing and what we get is a series that is good for anyone to read, young or old, male or female, married or not.

The Promise is book #2 in the Restoration series. You will meet Tom and Jean Anderson, their marriage is not perfect.  But then again nobodies is, but then again, not every husband is faking going to work every morning like Tom is because he is to embarrassed to tell anyone.  He spends his days trying to find a new job before it becomes a problem.  In the mean time, his wife has a secret that she is unwilling to share and it will complicate things even more.

I went to one of Gary Smalley's marriage workshops with my husband years ago and we still use ideas given to us at that time.  What makes these books so nice to read is you get that wisdom he offers while having a good book to read.  I don't know if it is easier to learn something while reading fiction, but sometimes the medicine does go down easier with a little sugar.

Happy Reading

New Release - Unspoken - Dee Henderson

Dear Readers,

The much awaited return of Dee Henderson did not disappoint when Full Disclosure released a year ago.  She has followed that book up with an intriguing sequel Unspoken.  Dee Henderson fans were coming in the store the day of its release to make sure they had a copy and if I know her fans, most of them have it read already.

Charlotte Graham was part of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago's history.  She never told anyone about her past, she moved on with her life, changed her name and found a job that she loves.  Bryce Bishop doesn't care who she is, he just knows that she has coins to sell, lots of them and he is willing to buy. 

As Bryce gets to know Charlotte more, he is drawn to her as a woman, but her guard is never down and those she surrounds herself with is very protective.  As he digs into her life he finds out more than he bargained for.

Without a shadow of doubt I recommend this book to any one who has enjoyed Dee's books in the past.  I can actually say, if you haven't read Full Disclosure you can read this one first, but I do recommend reading them in order or there are a couple things that might not make sense.

Happy Reading

New Releases - Sept. 30- Oct. 5

Dear Readers,

I am not sure if I have my feet under me or not, but Tuesday the 8th we are having our Fall Librarians Day.  I get to spend the entire day with librarians helping them fill their shelves with books from the previous 6 months.   I f you or someone you know is a librarian please feel welcome that day.  I do reviews off and on all day and there are gift bags for all librarians who attend.

Happy Reading,

The Cutting Edge - Ace Collins - Leslie is so close to having her dream of becoming a super model fulfilled.  Until she is attacked and disfigured.  Now  she is lost and seem to have no purpose in her life.

Shades of Mercy - Anita Lustrea/Caryn Rivadeneira - In 1954 things are a changing in the north woods of Maine.  Mercy and Mick will move their forbidden relationship from the shadows to the light and things will never be the same.

The Reichenbach Problem - Martin Allison Booth - Arthur Conan Doyle needs to get away from his most popular character.  He decides to vacation in Switzerland to relax and regroup.  When a murder happens on the first night, fellow travelers decide he should be able to solve the crime.

Fire in the Night - Linda Byler - #1 Lancaster Burning - The Lancaster community is terrified by someone burning their barns down.  Sarah watches her parents agony when their barn is one targeted, but she has more important things on her mind, like who Matthew is really interested in.

Tattler's Branch - Jan Watson - Lilly loves being a doctor to the tiny mining community.  While her husband is away, things start happening that leave more questions than answers.

Beyond these Hills - Sandra Robbins - Smoky Mountain Dreams - Laurel takes a stand against the government.  They are buying up all the land around her to establish the Great Smokey Mountain Park.  She is determined to save her families land.  Will Andrew Brady be able to change her mind?

All God's Children - Anna Schmidt - #1 the Peacemakers - Beth dreamed of visiting Munich, but while there, WWII erupts.  Will she be able to get out? Or will she decided to stay and help the helpless.

Whispers on the Prairie - Vickie McDonough - Sarah never wanted to join the wagon train west, but her aunt needed the help.  When they are stuck in Kansas along the way, she ends up staying with a family with one to many available bachelors. 

Unspoken - Dee Henderson - sequel to Full Disclosure - Charlotte was the center of the most famous kidnapping in Chicago history.  She has never said anything about those 4 years, but now a crime that looked solved leads the police back to Charlotte's case. 

New Release - Critical Pursuit - Janice Cantore

Dear Readers,

There has been a rise in the interest in the suspense/romance genre.  I am sure that is mostly because of the numerous authors who have come to the market.  Janice Cantore had a very interesting series out the last couple of years that has won her loads of fans.  There was great excitement when those readers knew that she was starting a new series.

Critical Pursuit is book #1 in the Veteran Police officer series.  We meet Brinna who has the reputation if a child goes missing she is the one to call.  Between her and her K-9 companion, Hero, they will search until they find the child no matter what.

Anyone who hasn't read Janice's books yet, but like Dee Henderson, Irene Hannon or Lynette Eason will enjoy these books.  They are well researched and fast paced.  Her characters are people you want to know about and may even feel a bit sad when the series does finally come to a close.

Happy Reading

Cathleen Armstrong

Dear Readers,

 

Welcome to Last Chance is Cathleen Armstrong’s first book.  She won the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis award and once you read it you understand why.  It is kind of like stepping on to the streets of Mayberry only set in the middle of the desert of New Mexico. 

 

Last Chance is a special little town with wonderful and quirky characters that will make you wish you knew them all as your neighbors.  They care for each other, they have their noses in each others' business and they have each other’s back when something happens.

 

When Lainie’s boyfriend start selling drugs she decides to leave town.  Her battered old Mustang only gets her as far as Last Chance, New Mexico.  Everyone she meets in town are just to eager to help.  She just wants to fix her car and continue on to El Paso to start a new life.  Who would want to live in a little town in the middle of nowhere, anyway?   But when she ends up with a job in town she starts to see the appeal of this special place.

 

To be completely honest, this book is not a great mystery when you read it.  It is plain and simply a feel good story about people who are good people.  I think in some ways most of us long for the days of Mayberry where the kids could go out to play and not have to worry about who would grab them.  Where the pace was a little slower and holidays and celebrations were a town-wide event. 

 

Happy Reading

New Release - Under a Blackberry Moon - Serna Miller

Dear Readers,

I first read Serena B. Miller's books because they were set in Michigan and that intrigued me.  I kept reading them because they were good.  Under a Blackberry Moon is her newest and is once again set in Michigan's lumber camps.  It is a time of Michigan's history that I didn't know much about and since having read the books, I have learned more about it. 

Moon Song stumbles into a lumber camp to find shelter from the winter.  When the camp owner decides she can't stay, he sends his trusted friend Skypilot to get her back to her home on the shores of Lake Superior.  As their journey continues an attraction grows between the two, but can a love between two people of very different cultures survive?

Like I said I learn so much about Michigan's history from this book, not only because of what Serena writes, but because I go looking to find out about what she has written, like the great fire that she wrote about in A Promise to Love. 

If you are looking for one of those gentle tales of love and history, then Serena's books are a perfect fit for you.

Happy Reading,

New Release - Return to Me - Lynn Austin

Dear Readers,

You can never go wrong picking up a Lynn Austin book.  She returns to her love of Biblical fiction with Return to Me, book #1 in the Restoration Chronicles series.  To go along side of it you can read Pilgrimage, which is a non-fiction story of her visit to Israel and her spiritual journey during that time.

Iddo has been waiting to return to Jerusalem.  He knows the all the prophets have said that God has said that he will return them home after 80 years.  He believes Him, but his hope is a bit strained, he sons don't believe and for his wife, Babylon is home, she was born her and knows know different.  How can he continue to believe until he starts instructing his grandson, Zechariah and they work together to bring the country of Israel home.

I like stories that can flesh out stories that I have read all my life.  Biblical fiction reminds me that all those written about in the Bible are real people that lived and died, had hopes and dreams and were doing (sometimes) what they thought was right.  Lynn has a way of making those characters so very real and that helps those Bible stories come to life.

Happy Reading.