New Release - Song of Silence - Cynthia Ruchti

Song of Silence - Cynthia Ruchti

Lucy and Charlie Tuttle agree on one thing: they're committed to each other for life. Trouble is, neither of them expected life to look like this. While Charlie retired early, Lucy is devoted to a long-term career . . . until the day she has no choice.
 
Forced to retire from her position as music educator in a small Midwestern K-8 school, Lucy can only watch helplessly as the program her father started years ago disintegrates before her eyes. As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, Lucy wonders if her faith's song has gone silent, too. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes. 

When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees--and hears--everything.

James Rubart

Dear Readers,

The 5 times I met Myself by James Rubart is a book that I was really interested in reading when it first hit the shelves here at Baker Book House.  I have read several of James’ books and they have always made me think about the message inside.  None of them are what would be considered “normal” fiction but they are just outside the norm.  He really does have a unique way of looking at things.

Brock Matthews has had a reoccurring dream.  It is so realistic that he is having a hard time letting it go.  He is talking to his father, dead for many years, and his father ends up yelling “Get Ready.” It leaves Brock confused and a bit concerned.  He eventually borrows a book on dreams and how to control them.  Suddenly Brock finds himself in control of more than his dream, he is now in control of his life choices from when he was younger.  He is ready to change his history, including winning against his brother. 

Okay so that was a very simple description of the book.  It is a bit more complicated than that, but it really got me thinking what I would tell my 23 year old self.  Who hasn’t said to themselves, “If I had only known this when I was younger.”  Well, James gives us that chance to see what might or might not happen if we were allowed to time travel and change the past. 

Of course we have all seen Back to the Future and how Marty changed things for good.  But this book makes you rethink that.  If you believe God is in control of the world then everything has happened for a reason and we should not change it, as it is what makes us who we are today.  Wow that is pretty profound from a fiction book. J 

I am looking forward to James’ next book and what adventure he takes us on next.

Happy Reading,

New Release - Counted with the Starts - Connilyn Cossette

Counted with the Stars - Connilyn Cossette 

Sold into slavery by her father and forsaken by the man she was supposed to marry, young Egyptian Kiya must serve a mistress who takes pleasure in her humiliation. When terrifying plagues strike Egypt, Kiya is in the middle of it all.

Choosing to flee with the Hebrews, Kiya finds herself reliant on a strange God and drawn to a man who despises her people. With everything she's ever known swept away and now facing the trials of the desert, will she turn back toward Egypt or surrender her life and her future to Yahweh?

New Releases - March 21- 26

Dear Readers,

I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter.  Ours was bit different because we made plans to be out of town without realising that it was Easter weekend.  So no family get together, but a pleasant time anyways.

I hope you can find a couple good books on this list to add to the TBR pile.

Happy Reading,

From Bags to Riches - Sandra D. Bricker - #3 A Jessie Stanton Novel - Jessie is moving on.  She is working hard to put Louisiana in the rearview mirror and her little boutique is starting to make a real name for itself.  But her pesky ex husband shows up and is interested in winning the new version of Jessie back.

Return to Paradise - Barbara Cameron - #1 the Coming Home series - David Stoltzfus left the Amish Community behind, encouraging his siblings to also leave mostly to escape their abusive father.   Finding a new life in the Englisch world is the only way to keep them all safe.  But now his father is dying of cancer and the girl he left behind is hoping to help him make peace with his father before it is too late.

 The Goodbye Bride - Denise Hunter - #2 A Summer Harbor Novel - Lucy has no memory of the last several months.  She has no idea why she broke it off with her fiance just weeks before her wedding.  She has no idea why she would leave town  either. All she remembers is that she loves Zac and wants him back.  But does Zac believe she won't leave again after her memory is restored?

The Hearts We Mend - Kathryn Springer - #1 A Banister Falls Novel - Evie's life is about to change.  After 13 years of just her and her son Cody, he is marrying the love of his life.  They have shared a bond since the loss of his father.  Now she finds herself becoming tangles with a guy who is her exact opposite.

Song of Silence - Cynthia Ruchti - Lucy is forced out of her job as music educator for the K-8th grades.  It has been the job of her heart, stepping into the music program, a program her father started.  After she leaves, she watches the program fall apart and she begins to wonder if even her faith song has left her.  That is until she meets a very special boy and his mother.

Counted with the Stars - Connilyn Cossette - #1 Out from Egypt - The story of Kiya a women sold into slavery, rejected by the man she was supposed to marry.  Kiya watches the plagues unfold on Egypt and decides to flee with the Israelites.  Now she has to choose between the past she knows and an unknown future.

Librarians needed

Dear Readers,

Have you  heard this story.  Fox2 of St. Louis is reporting the CIA is hiring librarians.  Hmm... sounds like fun to me.

Happy Reading,

The CIA is hiring… a $100,000 librarian

POSTED 11:04 AM, MARCH 5, 2016, BY STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) – The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency is hiring more than just spies.

The CIA currently has a job opening for a librarian.

Pay is excellent. The listed range is $50,864 to $118,069 a year — above the typical income for a U.S. family. The salary isn’t far off what some “reconnaissance” positions get.

And that’s saying nothing of the benefits.

In addition to the cachet of working at the CIA, “librarians also have opportunities to serve as embedded, or forward deployed, information experts in CIA offices and select Intelligence Community agencies.”

Translation: There may be some James Bond-like opportunities, if you want them.

Requirements for the job include a master’s degree, some prior library experience and the ability to pass an intensive background check. It includes a medical and psychological exam and a lie detector test.

The CIA also says applicants “must generally not have used illegal drugs within the last 12 months.”

Librarians play an “essential role” in intelligence gathering and managing CIA materials. The federal government employs over 1,400 librarians.

America’s unemployment rate is now 4.9%, a rate that many consider full employment. Companies (and likely the government) say they are having trouble finding skilled workers.

Job prospects for librarians are decent, but not great. The Labor Department forecasts “slower than average” growth for librarian positions.

http://fox2now.com/2016/03/05/the-cia-is-hiring-a-100000-librarian/

New Release - Flirtation Walk - Siri Mitchell

Flirtation Walk - Siri Mitchell

At West Point, Only True Love Should Lead You to Flirtation Walk
Lucinda Pennyworth, the daughter of a con man, is trying her best to leave her father's sordid past behind her. When he dies unexpectedly, she takes the opportunity to move to West Point to live with her aunt, ready to take on a new life and determined to marry a respectable man, a West Point cadet, to impress her relatives. 
                                                                                                               
Seth Westcott, a cadet at the academy, is proud to be at the top of his senior class. But when his mother dies and his sister loses their inheritance to a swindler, Seth wants nothing more than to head west to track down the con man. But the army will only send the cadets at the bottom of the class to the frontier . . . which leaves Seth with some tough choices.

When a woman trying her best to be good meets a man determined to be anything but, can there be hope for love, or will two lonely hearts be condemned to casual flirtation?

Mike Nappa

Dear Readers,

I really love the cover to Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa.  It really gives off a good creepy feel and I could hardly wait to get started.  I am going to say, this is a really interesting book and it speaks well of the series that is promised.  But creepy it is not.  In fact you find yourself drawn in by many of the different characters and their backstory. 

Annabel Lee is a very special little girl.  Her "uncle" Truck has taken care of her for her entire life.  He hasn't always been the most loving, but he made sure she was educated and fed. Other than that he didn't give her much.  Now he has left her in an underground bunker with the words "Don't open the door for anyone, not even me." 

Each of the characters that are developed in the story are ones I wanted to know more about.  Whether a good guy or bad guy, they are written so well I found myself wondering about them more and more.  Even the dog that Truck leaves with Annabel Lee makes me wonder about his training and where he came from in the first place.  An author who can do that gives a special treat to his readers and makes us excited about his/her next release.  Mike has a unique gift in his writing, one that his readers are (hopefully) going to enjoy for a long, long time.

Book #2 in the Coffey & Hill series is due for release this fall.  The Raven (I bet you can sense a trend) will continue to follow Trudi and Sam on their next adventure.  I wonder if Annabel Lee will show up again?

Happy Reading,

New Release - The Bachelor's Girls Guide to Murder - Rachel McMillan

The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder - Rachel McMillan


In 1910 Toronto, while other bachelor girls perfect their domestic skills and find husbands, two friends perfect their sleuthing skills and find a murderer. Inspired by their fascination with all things Sherlock Holmes, best friends and flatmates Merinda and Jem launch a consulting detective business. 

The deaths of young Irish women lead Merinda and Jem deeper into the mire of the city’s underbelly, where the high hopes of those dreaming to make a new life in Canada are met with prejudice and squalor. 


While searching for answers, donning disguises, and sneaking around where no proper ladies would ever go, they pair with Jasper Forth, a police constable, and Ray DeLuca, a reporter in whom Jem takes a more than professional interest. Merinda could well be Toronto’s premiere consulting detective, and Jem may just find a way to put her bachelor girlhood behind her forever—if they can stay alive long enough to do so

New Releases - March 14 - 19

Dear Readers,

Interesting mixture of books this week.  I can easily say at least some of them landed straight onto my to be read list.

Happy Reading,

The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder - Rachel McMillan - #1 Herringford & Watts Mysteries - 1910 Toronto.  Merinda and Jem are not your typical young girls.  They are not interested in perfecting their domestic skills and finding a husband.  They would rather track down the murderer of young Irish women.

The Stonghold - Lisa Carter - Tribal cop Pilar To-Clanny has seen plenty of danger, drugs, kidnapping, revenge killings, but when innocent teenage girls are disappearing she is way too familiar with.  She is joining team with Alex Torres, another part of her past she would rather forget about.

What Happened on Beale Street - Mary Ellis - #2 Secrets of the South Mysteries - Nate and Nicki are called to New Orleans by a childhood friend.  When they arrive, he is missing and they are left with few clues as to what happened to him.  The choirboy reputation that Danny had before he disappeared does not fit the trail they are lead on to find him.

Faith - Lyn Cote - #3 Quaker Brides - Faith Cathwell hopes to find her calling when she takes up nursing.  She also hopes to find a childhood friend that was freeborn, but kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Sit Stay Love - Dana Mentink - Pro baseball player Cal Crawford does not have time for the dog he inherits from his grandmother.  He hires dog sitter, Gina.  She is not thrilled to be sitting for a dog when she believes she should be doing more important things.  But as Gina moves through Cal's world she realises he needs God and she might be just the person to teach him about it.

Quotes

New Release - Behold the Man - Bodie and Brock Thoene

Behold the Man - Bodie and Brock Thoene

Encounter the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth in this culmination of the Jerusalem Chronicles.


How could Jesus who preached righteousness before God, and love and mercy toward neighbors be so hated and pursued? To the Temple officials, he was a threat to the livelihood and authority of the priesthood. To Herod Antipas, he was a threat to his ambition to be the King of the Jews. And to the Roman overlords, he was seen as a dangerous threat; a man who commanded an army of the common people. He could heal wounds, offer miraculous provisions, and even raise from the dead. If Jesus had accepted popular acclaim and become an earthly king, he would have been 
unstoppable.

Jesus s last days are explored through three people who interacted with him: Governor Pilate, for whom Judea will either make or break his career; Pilate s wife, Claudia, desperately seeking aid for her much loved, crippled son; and Centurion Marcus Longinus, caught in the middle between loyalty to the Empire, love for Claudia, and an ever-increasing belief in Jesus as the Son of God. After encountering Jesus, none of them will ever be the same.

Fiona Smith

Dear Readers,

I seem to be on a kick with books set in England. Not sure why, maybe with the audio books I listen to it is because they are read in a lovely English accent. With the print books, I imagine it is just a great way to revisit London.  Whichever reason it is, I am really enjoying some great stories.  So when Kregel asked if anyone was interested in reading The Jazz Files by Fiona Smith, well of course I volunteered. 

A delightful mixture of Agatha Christie and the old dime novel detectives, Jazz Files was just a fun read.  With her quips and fast banter, I really found myself wishing I could meet Poppy.   Not only did she really have a lot of spunk, she also did what she needed to get the job done.  Set in the years between the wars, London during the roaring 20’s is a hoping place, but also one that is starting to move into an new era and the suffragette movement is in full swing. 

Poppy Denby applies for a job at the Daily Globe after she arrives in London to help take care of an elderly aunt.  It is only Poppy’s first day on the job and a senior reporter is killed while investigating a murder from several years earlier.  Poppy is asked to finish the story and she soon finds herself in peril.  Will she be able to survive as a reporter in the fast pace of London?  Will she figure out who wants to keep the murder quiet before they silence her? 

For those who are Downton Abbey fans, this would be an nice way to continue being a part of the 20’s in England.  It does have a bit more murder and intrigue than Downton did, but it adds to the story.  You find yourself following Poppy around hoping to discover the murderer before they discover you.  I know that I am looking forward to the next installment of the Poppy Denby Files. 

Happy Reading  

New Release - Dressed for Death - Julianna Deering

Dressed for Death - Julianna Deering

A Regency-Era Costume Party Should Have Been an Amusing Diversion, but it Seems Wherever Drew Farthering Goes, Mystery--and Murder--Are on the Guest List

Drew and Madeline Farthering arrive at a Regency-era house party at Winteroak House, excited to be reunited with old friends, including Drew's former Oxford classmate Talbot Cummins. Tal is there with his fiancée, Alice Henley, and though many present seem worried about the couple, nobody is prepared when Alice dies from an apparent overdose. Tal refuses to believe she'd taken the drugs intentionally, and a dark question arises of whether the death is an accident or murder.

The police have their own information though, and Drew is shocked when they arrest someone he's trusted and admired since his childhood--someone who's been smuggling drugs into the country for years. Stunned by what has happened, Tal begs Drew to get to the bottom of everything, but Drew has never felt more unsettled. Questioning his own ability to see people as they really are, Drew doesn't know whom to trust, and he's not ready for the secrets he's about to uncover--or the danger he'll bring down on everyone he holds dear.

New Releases March 7 - 12

Dear Readers,

All was right with my world the other day.  I had had a frustrating day at work, nothing major, just normal stuff that wouldn't go right.  That evening my husband and I were finally able to sit and relax and low and behold a spring training game was on tv.  My husband started watching, I grabbed the book I was reading and suddenly the rest of the world didn't matter.  *Sigh* ready for those long summer afternoons of warmth, baseball and books.

Happy Reading,


Flirtation Walk - Siri Mitchell - Lucinda wants to turn her life around, well at least the part that is related to her con man father.  Seth wants to graduate from West Point and be sent out west to find the man who stole his sister's money.  Will two people headed in different directions be able to help each other?

A Treasure Concealed - Tracie Peterson - #1 Sapphire Brides - Emily Carver longs for a home of her own.  The life following her father to different gold mining camps makes it difficult to see how that dream will be fulfilled.  Caeden is a young geologist who is use to seeing those seeking riches, but when he meets Emily he finds something different.

Dressed for Death - Julianna Deering - #4 A Drew Farthering Mystery - When Alice, a fiancee of a friend of Drew's, dies, questions are asked whether it was an accident or murder.  Drew is even farther unsettled by the fact that someone he knows and trusted all his life is accused of smuggling drugs into the country.  When asked to help the investigation, Drew is not able to decide if he can help or not.

A Powerful Secret - Kevin Leman/Jeff Nesbit - #2 The Worthington Destiny - Left picking up the pieces after his brother walks away from the Senate race, Sean Worthington struggles to find answers for anyone.  Including his father is once again backing the perfect son, Will.

A Churn for the Worse - Laura Bradford - #5 An Amish Mystery - An amish farmer is found dead in his barn.  The family sees it as the will of God, but Detective Jakob Fisher knows he didn't hit himself in the head and the missing cash leads him to believe it is a robbery gone wrong.

Behold the Man - Brock and Bodie Thoene - #3 Jerusalem Chronicles - The conclusion to the story of Jesus' last days on earth through the eyes of three very different people.  Pilate and his wife and a centurion who is caught between his love of his country and his new belief in Jesus.

Bookstore in Venice

Dear Readers,

I know I have shared about this little bookstore in Italy before, but I could have lived here.  It is so obvious that the owner loves books.  It doesn't matter what kind or how new or old, they just love books.  If in Venice make sure you visit Libreria Acqua Alta and be enchanted by a place that is all about the books.  

Happy Reading,

 

P.S.  Yes that is a canal out the door.  When I was there, the water was on the step.  

New Release - A Fool and His Monet - Sandra Orchard

A Fool and his Monet - Sandra Orchard;

Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can't stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art
Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action--and a whole heap of trouble.

Liz Johnson

Dear Readers,

I am going to make a confession.  I am not a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables.  Boy that feels good to confess. :-)  I have read the first book of the series and enjoyed it well enough, but never became a huge fan.  I can’t tell you why, as I really never thought about it.  But with all the interest about L.M. Montgomery series lately I just felt like I would be judged negatively for that.

Okay with that said I want to also go on to say, I would really like to visit Prince Edwards Island.  It sounds like a beautiful place.  One that has some very unique qualities about it and one that would be like no place else on earth.

The next best thing to a vacation there is a book set on PEI.  The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson was the answer to that problem.  This is a delightful read about a man trying to fulfill his late wife’s dream.  She had always dreamed of a place for people to not only enjoy the lovely island, but also a place that they could find safety and maybe even themselves.  What a beautiful dream for a bed and breakfast.

Jack is that gentleman looking to see his wife’s dream come true.  He and his nephew Seth have been working hard to get their new inn open before tourist season.  If you miss one season you might not make it to the next one because the season on the island is so short.  Jack has a chance encounter with Marie at the ferry station.  Marie does not have enough money to buy a ticket to the one place she is sure she will find some peace.  Jack notices and offers to buy her a ticket and in return she can help him decorate and paint his bed and breakfast so it is ready for the tourist season.  Marie isn’t sure she will stay as she is on the run from her father.

Marie, Seth and Jack all come with their own pieces of baggage and they each need to find healing.  But will they be able to find the help they need with each other?

This is a promising start to a new series with the Red Door Inn and its new owners.  I will be interested to see what and who is led to the Red Door Inn next.

Happy Reading, 

New Release - Annabel Lee - Mike Nappa

Fourteen miles east of Peachtree, Alabama, a secret is hidden.
The secret's name is Annabel Lee.
She doesn't know why her enigmatic uncle has stowed her deep underground in a military-style bunker. He's left her with a few German words, a barely controlled guard dog, and a single command: "Don't open that door for anybody, you got it? Not even me."

Miles away in Atlanta, private investigator Trudi Coffey is visited by a mysterious older man calling himself Dr. Smith. He's been trailing a man for a decade--a man she met through her ex-partner Samuel Hill--and the trail has led him to her office. The last thing Trudi wants to do is to contact Samuel. But it will take both of them to unravel this mystery--before it's too late.

New Releases - February 29 - March 5

Dear Readers,

The weather forecast for the week this post releases is 60 degrees.  Does that mean spring is just around the corner?  Well yes, but it also can mean more snow here in West Michigan.  Oh well lots of new books to make it through whatever weather you have where you live.

Happy Reading,

The English Son - Wanda Brunstetter - #1 The Amish Millionaire - First of 6 novellas - Joel Byler is trying to live in the English world, but that requires money.  Money his eccentric father has, but how many time will Joel be welcomed back before his father won't give him more money.

The Red Door Inn - Liz Johnson - #1 Prince Edward Island Dreams - Marie and Seth agree on only one thing.  Helping Seth's Uncle get his dream B&B open in time for tourist season.  Marie is hiding from her overbearing father and Seth is trying to heal from his broken heart.

Playing the Part - Jen Turano - Lucetta's admirer suddenly takes on a threatening tone.  She is whisked away to Abigail Hart's grandson's estate.  He isn't quite what he seems to be and Lucetta can't ignore what is going on.  But will it turn dangerous also?

Annabel Lee - Mike Nappa - #1 A Coffey and Hill Novel - Annabel Lee's "Uncle" has hidden her in a bunker deep in the Alabama swamp.  Trudi Coffey is hired to find a secret for a Dr. Smith.  She doesn't know that the secret is Annabel Lee.  She just knows she can't trust Dr. Smith and she needs to contact her ex.

A Fool and his Monet - Sandra Orchard - #1 Serena Jones Mystery - Serena has two passions, recovering lost and stolen art and finding her grandfather's killer.  She is hoping the first will lead to the second.  When a local museum discovers a Monet missing, she is ready to help, but it will it lead to her being in over her head?

Sometimes....

Dear Readers,

Sometimes you are reading along in a delightful book and a passage really strikes you.  Sometimes it is because of where you are in life.  Sometimes it is just a beautifully written passage.  Sometimes it is because it feels like the author got into your head.  And sometimes it is because it explains why you love something so much.

I just had that with The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay.  The book came out several months ago and I kept putting it off because I was savoring the thought of reading it.  I just knew I was going to love it and I am right.  I am so enjoying it.  This is not a review, but a passage about reading that I wanted to share.

When I first read it it stopped me short and I had to back peddle and read it again.  Which I did, and several times since.  It really does sum of reading very well.  I love how the main character refers to the books as her friends.  That is exactly right.

From The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay - "Lucy Considered a moment. 'No... Not those.  Not here.'  She recognized the oddity of her comment. 'Besides, I'm not trying to collect books per se.  I like copies I can read and fold and wrestle around with.  The ones at the shop are too delicate to really dig into.'

James stared at her.  "I've never heard anyone talk about books like you do.  It's like they are your friends."

"Aren't they yours?"

James raised his eyebrow.

Lucy laughed. "Don't even. They're as much your friends as they are mine. I don't mean it in some strange or creepy antisocial way.  I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact.  So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don't deny their influence."  She popped up straight.  " You learn drame from the Brontes; sense from Austen; social justice from Dickens; beauty from Wordsworth, Keat and Byron; patience and perseverance from Gaskell; and don't even get me started on exercising your imagination with Carroll, Doyle, Wells, Wilde, Stoker-" (end quote)

I know it is long, but that does about sum it up for us all who read.

Happy Reading and to finding a new friend,

New Release - Come to the Garden - Jennifer Wilder Morgan

Come to the Garden - Jennifer Wilder Morgan

A novel based on true experiences, "Come to the Garden" is a story about a woman's journey with a mysterious angel that encourages readers to believe heaven is closer than they think. 

Years ago, author Jennifer Wilder Morgan served as a hospital volunteer, visiting critically ill patients--praying with them and listening to their stories. As she created a safe space for those of all faiths and backgrounds, patients began confiding in Morgan about the mysterious ways God speaks to them--from encounters with angels to reassurances from loved ones who've passed on. She witnessed the profound healing that occurs when people are permitted to talk about these experiences, and as a result, Morgan was inspired to share her own personal encounters with God in a novel. 

In Come to the Garden, the main character Jenn wakes up on her birthday to find an angel introducing herself as Margaret in the backyard garden. Lately Jenn has been struggling to make sense of the mysterious ways God has been speaking to her and is trying to understand what he wants her to know. The angel takes Jenn back through her memories and life experiences, revealing how God has been connecting with her all along. Under the angel's guidance, Jenn finally understands the messages God has been speaking to her, in her dreams, divine promptings, and unexplained coincidences. It becomes clear that God is a faithful and persistent pursuer of the human heart. 

Framed as a series of conversations between Jenn and her guardian angel, this unconventional and charming narrative will strike deep into the hearts of anyone seeking a greater understanding of God. Based firmly in scripture, "Come to the Garden" is an inspirational fictional story about the surprising ways God works in our lives and affirms that heaven is truly closer than we think.

Julie Cantrell

Dear Readers,

I have been waiting 2 years for Julie Cantrell’s book.  Finally, The Feathered Bone has arrived and I could hardly wait to get started.  I had to delay it because of other books I had already started, but it was on the top of the TBR pile.  This past weekend I picked it up to take along with me at a book table.  With book tables, they are usually very busy and you really don’t get much time to read, which is great as I am there to work, not read.  (I know, how annoying).  This one had a bit more down time to it and I had a chance to make great headway into the book.  Of course if I had known exactly what I was getting into, I might have waited and taken another book.

The Feathered Bone is the story of a missing pre-teen.  Sarah goes missing on a class trip in New Orleans.  Amanda leaves her daughter and Sarah waiting in line for the restroom.  When they do a head count, they realize Sarah is missing and there is no one who saw anything.  They only have a snap shot of what looks like a teenager leading a younger smaller person in costume out of the restaurant.  Otherwise she vanished into thin air. 

This is the story of Amanda and her family.  What happens when it is your responsibility to take care of someone else’s child and they go missing?  What happens to that family when that missing child is your child’s best friend?  There are so many threads to this book that I can’t even begin to cover them all.  When they talk about an issue-driven book, this one has that in spades.  In fact it almost became too overwhelming to continue.  I don’t dare list them all because it might scare you off from reading this book, but don’t let it.

This is one of those books that you will read and then want to share with those around you.  I am waiting to find someone who has read it so I have someone to talk to about it.  It is an emotionally exhausting book to read and yet it is a book of triumph.  It makes you wonder how anyone can survive what happens in life, and all the way through Julie reminds us that we are not making it through our valleys without the help of God. 

Happy Reading,

New Release - The End of Law - Therese Down

The End of Law - Therese Law

Berlin, 1933: as Hitler rises to power, the law - designed to protect and serve -becomes twisted to the will of those who dream of a pure Aryan race. SS Officer Walter Gunther is intensely loyal to the Third Reich. His readiness to kill without question or remorse would seem to make him the ideal candidate to lead the T4 euthanasia programme. SS Officer Karl Muller, a trainee doctor and engineer, is also brought into the programme, and assured that his work is consistent with the Hippocratic oath he's due to take. Their mandate: to kill the "unworthies" - not just the Jews, but crippled children, the mentally ill, homosexuals. Hedda, Walter's wife and old acquaintance of Karl, has no idea of what their work entails. Until, that is, the fate of their families is at stake, and each must confront afresh the choices they have made. This dark, tense novel is a compelling story of human tragedy, and man's potential to revel in, or fight against, the evil actions of a corrupted nation.