New Releases May 9-14

Dear Readers,

Spring is finally arriving here in Michigan.  It was 70 this past weekend and you can tell.  Everywhere you look people are outside.  Walking, biking, and sitting on porches enjoying the wonderful weather.  It is weeks like this we in Michigan are almost ready to forgive Mother Nature for the past 4 or 5 months.  Not quite yet, but close.  It will take a couple more weeks of this before there is forgiveness, but we will get over the past winter and truly enjoy our months of summer. 

There are several authors on the list week that I can hardly wait till I get a chance to read.  They are on my list and I just need a couple nights where I can just sit and read. 

Happy Reading


Chasing Sunsets - Eva Marie Everson
Martha - Diana Wallis Taylor
Sweetest Thing - Elizabeth Musser
Hope Rekindled - Tracie Peterson - #3 in the Striking a Match series
The Lady of Bolton Hill - Elizabeth Camden
The Fisherman -Larry Huntsperger - Re-cover
The Seraph Seal - Leonard Sweet/Lori Wagner
The Soldier's Cross - Abigail J. Hartman

MIndy Starns Clark

Dear Readers,

Mindy Starns Clark has been one of my favorite authors since I read her Million Dollar Mysteries.  (See earlier review) The Amish Midwife is her latest. 

It has a  bit of mystery to it, but also an interesting tale of family and pasts that people would like to stay hidden.  Lexi Jaeger (yes I notice that is my last name;-) was adopted.  She has always known that, but she wants to learn her story. 

Just before her father passes he shares a box that they recieved with her from Lexi's birth family.  It doesn't offer many clues as to where she is from or why they gave her up.  The only other clues she has is a family friend that tells her she came from Pennsylvania. 

With very little information, but a want to find her "kin," Lexi sets off to Lancaster county to see if she can find her birth family.  There are many road blocks, with the family involved being the biggest. 

 

Lexi isn't sure she will ever figure it out, but she is determed to find out as much as she can.  When help comes from an unexpected sorce, Lexi starts getting answers to long unanswered questions.

As most of us know that the Amish live by using the "forgive and forget" belief.  We all got to experience this as we watched the horrible murders of the Amish girls a couple of years ago.  I have often wondered about that and how it works in different circumstances.  Does that mean they don't believe in jail or pressing charges? 

In this book Mindy approaches the issue a bit.  There are people that know the answers to the questions that Lexi keeps asking, but they are not telling.  They seem to have only a couple of answers to her questions.  Either " It is not my place to tell." or "Forgive and Forget."  Neither answer helps Lexi in her very real need to know who her parents are.  Is either answer a good one in this case?  I found myself thinking it wasn't.  You can read the story and let me know what you thought.  If I go any farther with this thinking I will giving half the story away and that is no fun.

So instead let me just say...

Happy Reading

New Releases May 2 -7

Dear Readers,

I hope you were able to enjoy Mother's Day yesterday.  Whether you are a mom or not, we all have a Mom.  I don't know what your relationship is like with your mom, but I have a very goood relationship with my mom.  It wasn't always true, but she knew it was that "this to shall pass."  She waited lovingly on the sidelines, always praying and knowing that God would take care of me.   I am thankful for her and the many ways she has blessed me.

Several really good titles for you to enjoy.  Couple new authors who I am excited about.  Hope you get a chance to read them all

Happy Reading
The Art of Romance - Kaye Dacus
Deep Trouble - Mary Connealy
Indelible - Kristen Heitzmann
The Fine Art of Insincerity - Angela Hunt
Died in the Wool - Elizabeth Ludwig & Janelle Mowery - Hometown Mysteries
When Sparrows Fall - Meg Moseley
Too Rich for a Bride - Mona Hodgson

Meg Moseley

Dear Readers,

Sometimes I get handed/mailed books by reps of the publishing house.  Their job is to sell me the book and to do so with the best possible spin they can.  Some are very good at it and some not so much.  It doesn't really matter as I usually try to form my own opinion by reading it.  I do take into consideration what they say, but I try not to let what they say color what I am reading.

When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley is one the rep got right.  It is a very well written novel by a new author who I have high hopes for.  The story itself reminded me a bit of a Linda Nichols or an Ann Tatlock book.  It was just a good read. 

Miranda dreams of freedom.  Freedom to raise her children as she wants, freedom to take pictures and sell them to help her family, freedom to make her own decisions.

Jack is a bachelor after his wife left.  He knows little or nothing about raising children, so when his late brother's son, Timothy, calls to tell him he is the guardian of him and his siblings, Jack is a bit surprised and bewildered.  He was estranged from his brother before he passed away and is slightly surprised that Carl's widow would name him guardian.

Two very hurting and broken people who need each other are thrust together when Miranda asks God for a sign that he doesn't want her to move with the abusive church she has belonged to.   Jack comes to help with the kids while Miranda is recovering from a fall.  He is shocked to find a family that is barely in the 20th century let alone the 21st.  They dress in large baggy dresses for the girls and the boys all wear button shirts and khaki pants or jeans.  Woman are subservient to the men and are not even allowed to vote.  Jack believes it is his mission to 'save' the family even if they don't want him to.

The problem is the secrets they are both keeping.  Will it be something that they can overcome?  Can they learn to trust each other enough to share the secrets with one another?  Or will their secrets destroy their budding relationship?

I read this over the beginning of the week and enjoyed every minute of it.  I found myself getting frustrated with Miranda, but also understanding where she came from.  Jack is a quirky funny guy and I think everyone should have someone like him in their lives.  He is self dubbed a 'seeker of the truth'  even when he was unwilling to share his own 'truth' with anyone.  Of course the children are lovable and I wanted to take them all home with me.  Martha was maybe my favorite, but then again the archangels were to cute to ever stay mad at (You will have to read the book to find out why they are named that;-).   

Mostly I just want to say this is just one of those books that you can just sit and enjoy, so treat yourself to a good book and pull up your rocker and read to your hearts content.

Happy Reading

New Releases April 25 - 30

Dear Readers,

My Daffodils and Hyacinths are up and blooming so brillantly.  They are a couple of my favorite flowers.  Daffodils because they just look so happy and hyacinths because they smell like heaven.  They are wonderful ways to greet the new spring season.  I know last week I was talking snow, this week it is rain and lots of it.  Right now I can hear it pouring on the roof of the store.  Great for the plants, rotten for everything else, well except curling up with a good book.

Happy Reading

Against the Wind - Bodie and Brock Thoene - #2 in the Zion Diaries
The Promise of an Angel - Ruth Reid
The Blue Bottle Club/Without a Trace - Penolope Stokes & Colleen Coble
Plain Promise/Quaker Summer - Beth Wiseman & Lisa Samson
 -Two in one books.  Blue Bottle Club is one of my favorite books.

Lauraine Snelling

Dear Readers,

Lauraine Snelling writes wonderful historical fiction.  She has many loyal followers that can't wait for her next book to come out.  She intersperses her historical with delightful contempary tales.  On Hummingbird Wings by Lauraine is her lastest in the contemporary genre. 

On Hummingbird Wings is a story of family and how dynamics can change over the years.  Gillian has lived her adult life in New York City and has loved every minute of it and can't think of a reason to ever leave.  Home is not calling her, in fact she hasn't been to visit in over 5 years.  So when her sister calls and tells her that her mother is dying and she needs to come help, Gillian surprises herself and her family when she grabs a plane and heads off to California. 

Gillian finds things even worse than she expected, but she doesn't believe her mother is dying.  She believes she is tired and depressed because of a small stroke she had, but dying?  No. Can Gillian afford to stay, or does she need to go back to New York to try to save her job?  Why does she suddenly not feel like leaving?

This is a nice gentle story that is not a hard read.  I think the only complaint I have is that Lauraine leaves many questions unanswered.  I was going to list them for you here, but I don't want to ruin the story for you.   But I do have a few I would like to ask of the characters/Lauraine.  Over all this is one of those stories that you can easily read over a weekend.

Happy Reading

New Releases April 18-23

Dear Readers,

As I type this it is snowing outside.  Yes snow and it is acummalating.  So much for spring fever.   Yuck.  So instead we will stay inside were it is warm and someone will serve us hot tea and a cookie. (ok that will be self service)  But at least we have new titles to enjoy this week.

Happy Reading

Priest Graveyard - Ted Dekker
Hidden Affections - Delia Parr
A Heart Divided - Kathleen Morgan
Nick of Time - Tim Downs - part of the Nick the Bug Guy series. 
Beyond all Measure - Dorothy Love  - #1 A Hickory Ridge Romance
40 - Travis Thrasher