Book Review - Death by the Book by Julianna Deering

One of the Drew Farthering Mystery series. This is the first book by Junianna Deering that I have read. The story kept introducing twists and turn thus causingthe reader to change their thinking on who exactly committed the murders Drew Farhering was unofficially investigating. I did not find the book had the a story line that kept my interest.

I would be more than willing to read another book by the author, though I will stay away from this particular series.  

Winter is finally beginning to loosen it's hold. Time to clear out flower beds and think of spending more time outside. Busy year.

Girl Scouts has taken over a large portion of my lime for the past year and it has been so rewarding. My small group of Daisies will become Brownies at the end of May. We re also planning our last camping trip as Daisies. Am I really ready to sleep in a tent? We shall see as October will be our first camping as Brownies.



Doll houses have taken a second seat or maybe even third one. Not sure. Reading and reviewing also moved out of first place for the past months. Anyone else have more things that you want to do than you have the time for? Am currently working on a 1/2 scale house that I am having difficulty finding furniture for.

Enough for tonight - not much I know - but need to finish what I have already started elsewhere.

The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen

Emma Smallwood and her father ran a small boys boarding school for a number of years. Now with the decline in enrollment it appears the school is destined to close. A letter from a former student’s father has them moving to the estate to tutor his younger sons. The older sons return home for a visit and the calm life of the estate becomes interesting. Who plays the piano late in the night? Who has been sneaking into Emma’s room during the night and leaving messages? As children, one of the older brothers had played pranks on Emma so was he the mysterious one?  Then there was the question of why part of the house was declared off limits to Emma. Was there a secret the family didn’t want her to know about?

Having previously read The Girl in the Gatehouse, I wasn’t surprised when Julie introduced events that gave The Tutor’s Daughter a new twist. I enjoy Julie Klassen’s books and will gladly pick up any of them for a time of enjoyable, captivating reading.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

A Clearing in the Wild by Jane Kirkpatrick

Part historical fact and part fiction, I found A Clearing in the Wild an interesting book that is based on the move of a religious communal group led by Wilhelm Keil from Bethel, Missouri to Washington in the 1850’s. A bit of a history buff myself, I did a little research on this group and found they were similar in some aspects to a group who founded the Amana Colonies in Iowa. It seems German communal groups were not uncommon during this time in our history.

Emma is an outspoken young woman who finds it difficult to assume the role assigned to her, that of a demure, quiet woman who does not speak out and follows the dictates of her father, husband or leader. When a group of men is selected to scout out new territory in Washington, she begins a campaign to go along. Newly married, Emma and Christian have spent more time separate than together due to Wilhelm’s various jobs for Christian. She argues that she can cook for the men, take care of them when they are sick, do their laundry and be with her husband so they may be a family. The leader reluctantly agrees and allows her to travel with them. A Clearing in the Wild is the story of that journey, the hardships and triumphs of finding choice land that they can build on and begin a new colony. Jane Kirkpatrick has done an excellent job of allowing us to take this journey with the scouts and experience the triumphs and heartaches they faced. Even when Wilhelm declared the land they chose as undesirable, Emma convinces Christian that God did not make a mistake and there is a future for them in the land that will allow them to fulfill the godly principles their group held sacred.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

I joined BzzAgent and got a coupon for Glade Expressions^® Oil Diffuser & Fragrance Mist Starter Kits. What is nice about these products is that you don't buy the decorative containers. Just buy the refills. Like the look much better than the typical spray can. Easy to use, just squeeze.

Clouds by Robin Jones Gunn

Shelly Graham grew with a best friend in her neighbor, but when she got older she made a decision that just about destroyed the friendship. Jonathan Redfield wanted more of a relationship than Shelley was willing to give. Five years later she returns home to find that things have changed. In a time of transition, Shelley agrees to join her sister on a trip to Germany. Jonathan and his fiancée are there and Shelley must come face to face with the decision she made those many years ago.

Will she realize the truth she has hidden from herself all these years? Is there a future for Shelley and Jonathan? Can their dreams of fulfilling their future really work together?

I enjoyed reading Clouds. I must admit I wasn’t prepared for the ending turning out the way it did. The reader will find that Robin has given us a twist that will perfectly bring this couple together not only in marriage but in what they want to spend their lives doing.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Mystery of the Heart by Jillian Kent

The year 1819 in England was not a favorable time for women who wanted to enter the medical profession and become doctors. So what does Lady Mercy do? She travels to Scotland and donning a disguise enters medical school there. All is going well until someone discovers she is not who she appears to be. Now Mercy must return home to save herself and her reputation. This is not a simple journey though. Thrown overboard, she swims for land and rescue. Enter Lord Eden, who also is not as he appears. He takes her under his wing, protecting her until they reach England.

Through a series of events, Mercy and Eden find that they are pursuing the same goal. Find who threw her overboard and why as well as locate the mysterious sword piece that had been stolen from Eden. In the end justice prevails. Mercy and Eden solve their mysteries and are presented with an adventure that will allow Mercy to practice medicine and Eden to continue to pursue adventures that appeal to him.

Very hard book to put down, I found that I wanted to know what happened next and kept reading. I have found another Christian author who keeps me spellbound and reluctant to stop reading.

I received this book to review for free from Charisma House. 

To Love and Cherish by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

A Bridal Veil Island book, this is the second book of the series. Melinda has been waiting for the assistant gamekeeper at the resort to propose marriage. If he doesn’t, she must return to Cleveland with the family she is with as a lady’s maid. No proposal comes and Melinda leaves for Cleveland. If only she could secure a job at the Bridal Veil Island Resort, but the summer crowd is leaving and the local people have no job to offer her. Word comes just before the next summer season that a hurricane has hit the island. Melinda leaves her employment and rushes to Bridal Island worried about what might have happened to Evan. She knows he loves her and has no idea why he hasn’t proposed yet. When she arrives and sees the devastation, Melinda wonders if she made a mistake. As things are cleaned up for the first summer residents, she finds a job at the local hotel. All seems like it is going well until her brother shows up. With a reputation for gambling, she is worried about what he may be there for. Through a series of events, Evan is promoted and now feels enough in his financial position to offer the marriage proposal to Melinda.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

Twice a Bride by Mona Hodgson

Should the reader be familiar with the Sinclair sisters and Miss Hattie, you will meet them again in Twice a Bride. Willow Peterson, a young widow, had dreamed of becoming an artist. She leaves home for the town of Cripple Creek and moves into Miss Hattie’s boarding house. She finds a job as a portrait painter for the local photographer, Trenton Van Der Veer. Careful of the time they spend in each other’s company, they are aware of the talk that could come out of a single woman spending too much time in the sole company of an unmarried male. Yet, romance blossoms. But, Mona Hodgson doesn’t stop here. The Sinclair sister’s father arrives with a child of French descent. Questions arise as each sister comes to grips with the love and attention Harlan Sinclair showers on Cherise. Love and attention he never gave them. Harlan and Cherise also stay with Miss Hattie while they are in Cripple Creek. Lest I give away too much, suffice it to say that there are two weddings by the end of Twice a Bride.

The fourth book in The Sinclair Sisters of Cripple Creek, I would recommend Twice a Bride as a stand alone book for those not familiar with the series.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Betrayal 

by Robin Lee Hatcher

 

The year is 1899 in Wyoming and Julia Grace is determined t hold on to the ranch after the death of her husband. If it were only running the ranch by herself Julia thought she could do it, but her brother-in-law kept insisting it was too much for her and he wanted to buy the ranch. Then a stranger shows up. Hugh Brennan’s horse has gone lame and he needs to give the horse a rest to heal. Julia agrees to let him in return for some help around the place. As days turn into weeks, Julia finds she has come to depend on Hugh even though she recognizes the pain in his eyes. Hugh is also aware that Julia is hiding a past also. Two people with a past that haunts them, they soon find that with the love that blossoms between them the past can be laid to rest.

I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a Christian romance set in the old west.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Is there an escape for Lizzie?

Lizzie Engel is being forced to return to her Mennonite hometown of Kingdom, Kansas in order to protect her daughter. A stranger she does not know has been mailing her threatening letters and a man has been following her around. The new life she has set for herself and her daughter is threatened and the only place she knows to go is back home since that is the only place the stranger won’t be able to find her.

Kingdom is an isolated town that has been governed by a strict board of elders. Outside interference is simply not tolerated. She left five years earlier when her father would not accept her pregnancy. Seduced by a man she believed loved her, the town turned against her and she had to leave. Now she has returned and is finding that the new pastor and some of the  people she had known are changing the town. Buildings are painted, people are beginning to smile and help each other. Her own mother is taking a stand in opposition to her father’s. An accident and the death of the driver leads Lizzie to realize the stranger has found her. Who is this person and what do they want? An old friend, Noah Housler, works with her to unravel the mystery. In the end, of course, all is well and Lizzie finally finds the acceptance and love she had looked for all of her life.

Click here for a book trailer.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

A Christmas story of love, forgiveness and redemption

When I read the back cover of this book, I failed to understand how the title had been chosen. A Wreath of Snow? A novella that covers a short period of time, Liz Curtis Higgs has given us a story that does not seem to be happening in a short time frame. Set in Scotland during a snowstorm, Meg Campbell is leaving Stirling and returning to Edinburgh after spending a disappointing Christmas with her family. Things at home have not been the same since her brother, Alan, had been injured in a curling stone incident. Gordon Shaw is leaving Stirling after completing a newspaper assignment. When their train is stranded in a snowstorm, this unlikely pair finds themselves walking back to Stirling. Neither wants to return for their own reasons.

Gordon is invited to the Campbell home for a meal and to warm himself when they make it back to town. From this point on the reader becomes immersed in the lives of the Campbell family and Gordon Shaw. There is more to these individuals than meets the eye. Meg feels guilty and angry because Alan is disabled and has become adept at making their parents feel sorry for him, catering to his every whim. Gordon is also feeling guilty because it was his actions that caused the injury. He knows he needs to make his true identity known and ask for Alan’s forgiveness. When the family realizes who he is at a curling match, the lifestyle that Alan has set up for himself begins to rapidly untangle and the secret that Alan had been hiding is now revealed.

A story of secrets, unforgiveness and guilt in the lives of Meg, Gordon and Alan we find the mercy and grace of God at work as everyone faces the truth in their lives and reconciliation becomes a reality.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review

Can a person be made for The River?

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I began The River. It is a story about a river and its place in the life of Gabriel Clarke. How could someone be made for the river? Yet, Gabriel was. Losing his father at a young age to The River, Gabriel moves from Colorado to Kansas to live with his mother. He fears the water now and wants nothing to do with any river. As the years go by, he begins to see that a river is not something to be feared. Then comes the day when friends invite him to go to Colorado with them to camp, go river rafting and to explore the river. Gabriel starts to remember things from those early years and begins to accuse The River of taking his father from him. 

The more I got into this book, the more I began to see and understand the struggles Gabriel was facing. He was trapped by the chains of fear and resentment, trapped by circumstances that would affect his life unless he could gain his freedom. Returning to Kansas after the trip, Gabriel felt the pull of The River and so returned to Colorado to the river rafting camps. He goes to work at one of the river camps and meets people who help him to better understand The River and the affect it has on the lives of those who love it. He also starts to understand that The River did not take his father from him. As a seasoned rafter, his father lost his life while saving the life of someone else. With this knowledge, he realized that his destiny, his home is here with The River. He was made for The River.

I recommend this book, giving it five stars. It is a story of the freedom that awaits all of us when we face our fears and no longer give them control over our lives.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Lonnie Sawyer and her family live in the Appalachian hills among the creeks and hollows. Shy and retiring Lonnie has no experience with men, so when Gideon O’Riley walks her home after a local singing and dance she finds herself what his friendliness and advances mean. Gideon has treated her with respect and kindness, helping her over the rocks and moving branches out of her way. When they reach her home, she allows him to kiss her. But Lonnie’s father believes it was more than a kiss and a shotgun wedding takes place. Now the handsome Gideon finds himself married. Not used to being responsible for anyone, he takes Lonnie and heads across the hills to find a job. The kindness and gentleness of the walk home that night is gone and he is now hard and unyielding in pushing to reach a town where there is work. Lonnie’s life was hard at home, but nothing like she is experiencing now. She is not feeling well, is not eating and wants to sleep. The walking all day with little to eat has begun to take its toil when Jebediah finds them and takes them home to stay with him and his wife so Lonnie can recover. Gideon begins to realize the responsibility forced upon him with his wedding day and discovers he actually loves Lonnie, but there are still things he has to discover and learn before he is able to be the husband and father his family needs. Lonnie finds that she is stronger than she ever thought and the book ends with these two young people ending up where they should have been on their wedding day – deeply in live and committed to each other.

Over the Edge by Mary Connealy

All’s Well That Ends Well is the title of a Shakespearian play, but it also describes the ending of The Kincaid Brides, Book 3. Mary Connealy has very neatly tied up all the loose ends and still managed to give us a surprise or two.

I had the opportunity to read second book, In Too Deep, about the second brother, Ethan, and wondered what I could learn about the third brother, Seth. A Civil War veteran with a physically painful childhood, Seth was in the habit of going to the caverns in the mountains around the home place to hide whenever remembrances of his past overwhelmed him. Along comes Callie who had married Seth while she nursed him after the war. One day he took off and she never saw him again. The day came when she realized she needed to find his brothers, let them know she had married Seth and was on the way to see them. That in itself was a surprise to the brothers, but not the biggest one. Seth and Callie had a son no one knew about.

At this point, I was hooked and had a hard time putting the book down. I simply had to know how Callie and Seth worked this out. Would Ethan find that the past no longer held control over his life? Would he remember that he had a wife? Would Callie find that she could trust her husband not to abandon her again? The answer to all those questions is yes, but how they were answered I want to reader to discover on their own.

Over the Edge works as a standalone book because enough information is given to make sure the reader is aware of what has happened in the lives of Rafe and Ethan, the brothers. Yet, that background information does not get in the way of those who have previously read Out of Control and/or In Too Deep.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.

A Season of Tending by Cindy Woodsmall

Would an Old Order Amish girl dabble in witchcraft? Many in Rhonda’s town believed she did. How else could one explain the premonitions that she said she sensed? Because the townspeople, Amish and English, looked at her wondering, Rhonda kept close to her family home and tended her garden. Canning the fruit of her garden and selling it gave her a feeling of satisfaction. So did dispensing the herbs she also grew, but there was one who was determined to destroy that garden and keep the seeds of doubt alive in the town.

Samuel King and his family tended the apple orchard that had been in their family for generations. Selling the apples for eating and cider provided the finances needed each year. This year, though, worms had invaded one third of the orchard and Samuel knew they were facing a financial problem. He considered approaching Rhonda for help with the orchard since she knew enough about horticulture to offer advice and had a thriving canning business that might make use of the apples that could not be sold for anything but cider. As they work at uniting the two businesses, a sudden tornado destroys what is left of the orchard. What will they do now? What new avenue is God opening up for them?

A Season of Tending presented a deviation from the usual Amish story of boy meets girl, boy and girl disagree, boy and girl either make up or go their separate ways. The primary focus of this book is the resolution of financial issues and of perception. This is the first of a new series titles Amish Vines and Orchards. I enjoyed this book and happily recommend it to anyone interested in another side of Amish life.

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The Widow of Saunders Creek by Tracey Bateman

A new widow, Corrie Saunders, returns to the home where her deceased military husband Jared had grown up. The Ozark area of Saunders Creek was home to descendents of Appalachia. Those early settlers brought their traditions of witchcraft and spells with them, raising their children in the beliefs they had been taught. Jared’s family was no exception, but for one cousin and his mother. Eli has taken on the task of renovating the home place for Corrie and find that he is becoming protective of her. Knowing there is a stronger source of power than the beliefs of his relatives has led him to begin preaching in the local church. Eli’s faith is well grounded and he begins to question some of the things that are happening in the house. Things that Corrie believes are Jared trying to communicate with her. As Corrie begins to suspect that maybe it isn’t Jared at all, she also realizes that Jared may not have been the person she thought he was. As Eli and Corrie become better acquainted, she starts to see that the picture Jared presented to the world was not who the man really was. Selfish and self centered in life, his only act of putting others first resulted in his death. With this revelation, she begins to move beyond mourning for Jared and see that she has a full life ahead of her.

Skeptical at first about the choice of subject in The Widow of Saunders Creek, I did finish the book. Not my favorite reading material I was curious as to how it could be a Christian fiction book and still hold true to Christian beliefs and values. What I found was a very good  explanation as to the differences between a relationship with God and witchcraft. I would recommend this book to someone who needed to see those differences as they began their walk with the Lord.

I have reviewed this book  from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group giving it my honest evaluation.

Short Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer

The title intrigued me. What is a short straw bride? Does she have short straw –colored hair? I was about half way into the book when Karen revealed where the title came from. By then I was hooked.

Meredith Hayes had an encounter with one of the Archer boys when she was ten years old. No one ventured onto the Archer land without taking their life into their own hands. Or so the stories went. Yet Travis Archer had treated her with kindness. Now it is twelve years later and she is living in town with her aunt, uncle and cousin. On a walk with the man she is engaged to, she hears him plot with another man to burn the Archer brothers off their land. Remembering the kindness of Travis, she hurries to their property to warn them. Now the second encounter occurs. Some sets fire to the barn while she is there and in the process of getting a stubborn mule out, Meredith is kicked in the head by the mule. When her uncle finds out that she has been with the four Archer brothers for four days recovering he insists that one of them marry her. Hence, the short straw bride.

Travis has arranged it so that he becomes the bridegroom, feeling that as the oldest it is his responsibility to take care of his brothers as well as Meredith. Unknown to everyone, he has fallen in love with her and Meredith is now married to the man she has dreamed about for twelve years. All goes fairly well until cousin Cassie shows up very upset because she is being forced to marry the man Meredith was supposed to. Again the Archer brothers find themselves shielding and protecting a woman. Their solitary life is quickly coming to a close and they find that neighbors are not such a bad thing.  

A thoroughly enjoyable book with twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged to the very end.

I received this book to review for free from Bethany House.