july - august - september - october 2017

note from me:
happy fall, dear reading friend!!!

this is my favorite season to begin baking all those yummy apple desserts like my apple cider cookies, apple crumble, etc.!

i'm so sorry it's been more than a few months since i last posted my reviews. we found out at the end of august that we may be moving so we went into "crazy packing" mode. then earlier this month, we found out that the move will be delayed because of circumstances i can't get into at this moment. sooooooooo, i've taken a break from packing and here are all my five star reviews since july!!!

thank you for your patience!!! i hope you get as much joy discovering new stories as i have in sharing them!!!

blessings & happy reading!!!

susan, your reading mom
jer. 29:11



fiction:

the writing of jane kirkpatrick never fails to move me in the deepest places of my heart. i love her latest character, "Jennie" Lichtenthaler Pickett. she struggles with reading and writing and sometimes, she misses the meanings of glances or subtle words but the thoughts she voices are extraordinarily perceptive and insightful. i wish i had kept a journal on all the gems of wisdom i never fail to find in each one of jane's writings! all she left behind is a story inspired by a real person from history (be sure to read the details about it on page 321). i admire her courage, her compassionate heart and the difference she made with her passion for homeopathic healing. eventually, jennie overcomes many hurdles and specializes in diseases for women and children with her medical training in "regular" medicine. she suffered a great loss, abuse, divorce and debt, and yet, she wasn't beaten down by them. she even gets a second chance at love!!! you will definitely be inspired by this women's life!!!

lady charlotte featherington wants to marry someone young, exciting, handsome and brave, but most of all, she wants to marry for love like her cousin lavinia stamford. her mother; however, only has her sights set on those with titles. like the duke of hartington. a titled man recently widowed and is neither young nor handsome in lady charlotte's mind and eye! someone else has captured her heart and anyone else her parents have in mind cannot possibly compare. but unbeknownst to lady charlotte, she has captured the heart of the ninth duke of hartington and he is looking for someone whose heart belongs to him solely. the captivating lady charlotte by carolyn miller is a must read for fans of wholesome regency romances! this is book two in her series regency brides: a legacy of grace where miller captures the vivid architectural and clothing details along with the pretentious personalities of 1814 london.

it's 1944 and war is on the horizon. amelia richards falls hopelessly in love with a navy man and in a whirlwind romance, she becomes engaged. when james bradley's leave is cut short because his aircraft carrier was shipping out, amelia makes a decision that changes the course of her life. months later, she receives news that devastates her and amelia finds herself broke, jobless and mother of a sick baby boy. now there's only one thing she can do --- she has to find her infant's paternal grandparents. the christmas blessing by melody carlson is a beautiful story about the power of hope and reconciliation.

girls from the same sorority are dying under mysterious circumstances and it's up to branigan powers and her homeless and resourceful friend malachi to connect the dots before anyone else dies. i love malachi! he's one of my favorite characters because he understands human nature and their view of the homeless and he uses that to his advantage in uncovering clues and obtaining the evidence that branigan and the police need!!! the cover story by deb richardson-moore is another a branigan powers mystery that you are going to love. richardson-moore's journalist background and her work with the homeless gives us a clearer understanding and awareness of their issues and needs.

the heart-pounding conclusion to the alliance is found in the divide by jolina petersheim where an old mennonite community flees to the mountains for refuge when their world is attacked and dispersed. leora ebersole and her community have been hiding out now for six months and the ongoing issues that come with hunger, fear, sickness and death are taking a toll on everyone. leora and her beliefs are put to the test when she struggles between faith issues, love and making a decision to take action.  news still hasn't come of the young englischer pilot who has stolen her heart (from book 1, the alliance) and leora must choose between love and the new bishop who needs her.

if you're a fan of psychological thrillers, then you're going to love fault lines!!! thomas locke (pseudonym for award-winning novelist davis bunn) takes readers to the edge of reality where out of the body experiences happen in controlled environments. charlie hazard is in the risk containment business and never dreams he would experience this first hand when gabriella and her team of researchers and scientists bring him into their research facility. but the team is in danger and it will be up to charlie and his team to stay ahead of the enemy. dramatic twists with lots of danger and suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat as charlie and his team must protect his clients at all cost.

freedom's price by christine johnson is book 3 in the keys of promise series set in 1856 off the bahama banks. englishwoman catherine haynes has lost her mother and now she's lost her father. her cousin has taken over the estate and catherine refuses to marry the man he has chosen for her. instead, she makes the drastic decision to the america's and meet her mother's family on their plantation. her mother was estranged from her family but she often told catherine about her fond memories of her home there. when catherine arrives in louisiana after many delays, she's shocked to find her mother's plantation, black oak run by the plantation manager and a few servants with no family anywhere. something sinister is going on and catherine's life may be in danger as she is determined to regain ownership of her family's home. she will encounter deception, cruelty, loss and love and eventually redemption at a high price.

pecan orchards and fishing in the waters of mobile bay are where anniston (anni) harlan finds relief but her grandmother, princella is all about society's rigid rules, appearances and expectations. princella has spent a lifetime of building her reputation and she will hold on to her rules and southern values at all costs. in how sweet the sound by amy k. sorrells (i love her stories!!!), you'll see how the course of anni's life drastically takes a turn when her daddy is killed. this coming of age story has multi layers of family secrets, tragedies and cover up. it also has all the elements that i love---friendship and hope, redemption,healing and second chances. inspired by the biblical story of tamar from 2 samuel 13, this southern tale offers hope and healing to abuse survivors (note: october is domestic violence awareness month) and shows true freedom from captivity through the grace and mercy of God.

all her life, lane kelley has always felt alone---alone from her peers and even from her own family. she graduated from high school and left for college in chicago without ever looking back while carving a great design career for herself. just look up by courtney walsh is for all of us who remembers what it's like to not fit in with our peers. this one is for all the girls who outgrew their awkward stages and have managed to thrive on the outside while never dealing with the hurt, pain and rejection on the inside i love how this story ends with the sentence, "and she vowed to never again miss what was right in front of her." read this one with a box of kleenexes nearby because i guarantee lane's story will resonate with you deeply and touch your heart. and your tear ducts.

aurélie harcourt doesn't belong in the world she's been thrusted in and she's also harboring a secret that has caused angst among her extended family. author joanna davidson politano has written a mystery that is both engaging and captivating in lady jane disappears! there are fascinating quotes from mystery author nathaniel droll in every chapter and the intriguing history (and secrets of the south tower) of lyndhurst manor will have you wanting more!!! an added bonus at the end is a sneak peak at joanna's new book coming your way summer 2018 (not sure i can wait that long!!!). happy reading!!!

lochiel ogle is a legend. known as "the devil's daughter" because of a red-wine birthmark reaching from her cheek to the neck, lochiel is no stranger to pain, fear and suffering. but everything changes when she's rescued from a beating (that nearly leaves her for dead) by a man who isn't afraid of her. when lochiel is shown kindness by walton and his mother edna and introduced to the power of God's love, she learns a secret that shakes her world completely upside down. liar's winter: an appalachian novel is written from the heart of cindy k. sproles and is a hauntingly beautiful story of redemption.

loving luther is the story of katharina von bora, wife of martin luther by allison pittman. set in germany, 1505, little six-year old katharina must bravely learn to get used to her new home, the convent at brehna. this fascinating story follows her as she grows up, takes her vows and then comes across the writing of martin luther, an excommunicated priest. katherina's heart is stirred up as she reads pages from the freedom of a christian which lists verses from ephesians 2:8-9 and others. eventually, katharina and eleven other sisters bravely escape from the convent! witnessing how their lives unfold as they learn to survive outside the convent walls is a fascinating read!

former champion backcountry snowboarder and celebrity gage watson is about to return to the most dangerous and risky run with the woman who singlehandedly ruined his career. he's left the limelight and now serves on the peak rescue team and right now, a kid and his friend are trying to follow in his footsteps on a run that he barely survived. a matter of trust by susan may warren is book 3 in the montana rescue series where danger lurks around every corner! ella feels responsible for her brother and she regrets her part in dismantling gage's career. she risks everything if she reveals the truth and she knows she doesn't have the right to ask for his help but he's the only one who can find her reckless brother...

on love's gentle shore allows us to follow natalie o'ryan as she returns to prince edward island with a little bit of fear in facing her past and a lot of bitterness and anger against her best friend who abandoned her. this is liz johnson's third book in her series, prince edward island dreams and i love everyone so far!!! natalie has to face the ghosts of her past and forgive the man who never protected her and selfishly kept her from people who loved her and wanted her. she comes to the realization that "doing the next right thing" will keep her from making the biggest mistake of her life.

isabella bartholomew is doing everything she can to save her family plantation breeze hill but she needs help. hiring connor o'shea to help manage the plantation and rebuild the sections of their home that have been destroyed by a fire is the perfect solution. but suspicious things have been happening and someone is out to eliminate the bartholomew family. while isabella is considering accepting her wealthy neighbor's proposal of marriage to save her family's plantation, it's up to connor to figure things out and keep isabella and her family safe while setting his feelings aside. the promise of breeze hill by pam hillman takes you back in time to 1791 along the natchez trace where secrets, family history and romance come together.

if you're looking for a fast-paced and heart-pounding sci-fi adventure, then look no farther than thomas locke's latest, renegades. it's book two in the recruits series (we reviewed book 1 here) and things begin with landon evans. he was saying farewell when suddenly, three people appear out of nowhere...
meanwhile, twins sean and dillon find out that the son of senator evans has been kidnapped. will their transit abilities help them? only if they manage not to get arrested and imprisoned...! this is an epic adventure with beasts (that resemble giant moray eels), a dragon, a young soldier whose fate is tied with the twins and more!

i just read the funniest story ever (!!!) by a first-time novelist bethany turner. i love that she is committed to writing stories that deal with the "thorny realities of living the christian life." note: i took that quote right off the back cover so pardon my lack of originality! so. can i just say how much i love her debut novel, the secret life of sarah hollenbeck??!? i love sarah (especially the way her mouth always takes off like a runaway train whenever she's around ben delaney) and i super love her always-tell-the-truth-in-love friend, piper!!! sarah's a famous author who writes steamy novels that puts the "b" in blush. but then she meets Jesus. and ben. yes, in that order. the chemistry between them (sarah & ben) in that one chance encounter is beyond anything she's ever experienced and that's a problem because ben is... okay, i'm stopping here because you really need to go get your own copy of this book. seriously. you are going to find plenty of insight and humor as you read a story that bluntly dishes up faith, divorce, single parenting, second chances, betrayal, church scandal and hope (try staying that sentence really fast now)! i can't wait to share my reviews for novel #2!!!

nurse francine howard arrives in leslie county, kentucky. she's training to be a midwife under the direction of the frontier nursing service while nursing a broken heart. the people in the appalachian mountains need her services and francine is ready for an adventure. although she feels like a fish out of water at first, she gradually learns to love the people and respect their ways. she also quickly learns that being with the frontier nursing service means she has to learn how to milk a cow, grow a sass patch and learn to navigate mountain trails while being directionally impaired (i can so relate!!!)! francine is spunky yet gentle, caring and courageous. i love her and i love the character granny em! there's some unexpected adventure, romance and lots of new possibilities for francine in these healing hills by ann h. gabhart. be sure to check out the interesting readers' note on the frontier nursing service beginning on page 357!

fans of heart-pounding suspense and thrillers will love glenn meade's latest in unquiet ghosts! kathy kelley is trying to rebuild her life after a horrific accident that took the life of her husband and her two young children. she eventually remarries and becomes a stepmother to a sweet daughter who was close friends with her own daughter but eventually, the marriage disintegrates even though they parted on good terms. as she searches for answers, she begins to uncover information that will change the way she sees everyone closest to her. kathy has to change her perceptions and figure out a way to survive the betrayal and pain from the past 8 years of her life. although i scare myself over thrillers that are intense and suspenseful, mead's writing has a way of drawing me in from start to finish!

non-fiction:

the life-giving table: nurturing faith through feasting, one meal at a time by sally clarkson promotes the importance of connecting deeply with family and friends around the table. sally is an amazing hostess and i would love to meet her in person!!! sally shares her own stories (she's lived everywhere!), delicious sounding favorite recipes that she uses with her family and friends along with practical ideas to help us grow closer to the people we love as we grow in our faith together. this one is definitely a keeper!

shalom sisters: living wholeheartedly in a brokenhearted world by o'shea moore gives you a glimpse of a women who appreciates sassy and humor while dishing out plenty of stories, observations and practical insights for women longing to make a difference as peacemakers. moore writes with incredible vulnerability and transparency (i love the story of the time she broke the unspoken carpool lane law and what happens after in chapter 10!!!) and if you can't get enough of her writing, then check out her podcasts or blog.