Twilight at Blueberry Barrens... a book review

by: Colleen Coble
Series: Sunset Cove #3

Thomas Nelson Publisher

ISBN: 9781401690304
Available September 20, 2016: print, e-book, audiobook

Fiction / Christian / Mystery / Romance

Publisher's Description:

Kate Mason has devoted herself to caring for her family's blueberry barrens. But after her fields stop producing fruit, she's forced to come up with alternative ways to make a living. Renting out the small cottage on her property seems an obvious choice, but it won't be enough.

When entrepreneur Drake Newham shows up looking not only for a place to rent but also for a nanny for his two nieces, it's almost too good to be true. And maybe it is because Drake brings with him dangerous questions about who might be out to kill his family.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Twilight at Blueberry Barrens invites you back to Folly Shoals - a small town nestled on the shore of northeast Maine.  We are able to renew our "literary friendships with Claire, Kate, Luke and many others.  As Kate and her sister Claire are looking for the Puffin's nesting ground on the cliffs of Folly Shoals, Kate notices not one, but two lifeless bodies higher on the cliffs.  Who can they be? What happened? 

Since taking charge of his brother's two daughters, Drake believes he is being followed.  When his home is broken into, he decides to investigate the murders on his own.  After the sheriff determined the cause of his brother and sister-in-law's deaths as a murder/suicide, Drake arrives in Folly Shoals to spur the investigation of his half-brother and sister-in-law as murder, not a murder/suicide. 

Colleen Coble has once again created a story so real and intriguing that I read it in one sitting! Not only do you have the murder to solve, but two other "odd" happenings in Folly Shoals.  As the story lines intertwine and the attraction between Kate and Drake heats up, the pages cannot be read fast enough!

My rating:   A       4.5 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary digital copy of Twilight at Blueberry Barrens from Thomas Nelson Publisher and NetGalley for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Catching Heat by Janice Cantore... a book review

by: Janice Cantore

Series: Cold Case Justice #3

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

ISNB: 978-1-4143-9670-5

Genre: Christian / Romance / Suspense

Available: September 1, 2016

Publisher's Description:

Twenty-seven years after the deaths of Detective Abby Hart’s parents, she’s desperate to find the proof that will put the mastermind—the governor’s wife—behind bars. When she joins a newly formed task force and teams up with PI Luke Murphy, Abby is sent to San Luis Obispo to work the cold case of a murdered college student. Realizing their investigation will bring them near the town where Alyssa Rollins grew up, Abby decides to do a little digging of her own into the Triple Seven fire.

Luke is eager to help Abby close the books on a case they both have personal stakes in. But as she uncovers long-held secrets, Abby stumbles into an explosive situation, and Luke fears that her obsession may prove deadly.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

If you are like me, you find intriguing books that have begun 1-3 books ago.  Catching Heat is the third book by Janice Cantore in the Cold Case Justice series.  Although I did not read the first two books (Drawing Fire and Burning Proof), I was able to pick up on the storyline between Abby Hart and Luke Murphy.  Janice seamlessly wove the storyline of the Triple Seven Fire into this book so I did not feel like I was "missing" parts of the story.  As a retired police officer, Janice Cantore brings realism to the numerous storylines within the book.

My rating: B+             3 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of Catching Heat from Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review.

Happy reading!

    Ellen

Unlucky in Love... a book review

Unlucky in Love

by Maggie McGinnis

ISBN: 9781101967775

Series: Whisper Creek #4

Available: October 11, 2016

Publisher: Loveswept

Sold by: Random House

Genre: Romance

Publisher's Description:

After Alexis Maguire's wedding day comes and goes without a groom, she decides that it's time for a change. Tired of being the dependable, steady—and apparently boring—one, Alexis hopes that a cross-country road trip will help her loosen up and find her inner sparkle. Her first stop is the Whisper Creek Ranch, where the hot wranglers are sure to bring out her inner party girl. The trouble is, she can't stand pretending to be someone she's not—especially around the cowboy who tempts her to stay put.

Gunnar Peterson has spent six months working at Whisper Creek, and he's never been happier. Having grown up an army brat, he's ready to put down roots, and the only thing missing is a woman to share his life with. When Alexis blows into town, Gunnar thinks he may have met his match, despite the wild-child facade he sees right through. But Alexis swears she won't settle down anytime soon—so it's up to Gunnar to convince her that what she's looking for . . . is right here.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

From the first book Accidental Cowgirl, I enjoyed meeting the "ranch hands" and their way with the ranch's guests.  Each book invited me back to a place of family, warmth, and charm - a step back in time to overflowing hospitality.  Unlucky in Love is no different.  I was able to meet up with old "literary" friends and meet a few new ones along the way. 

This book focuses on Alexis and her determination to live life fully and to the brink.  What she learns along the way is a lesson to which many of us can relate!  Throw in a hot, down-to-earth cowboy, and the sparks are surely going to fly!

My rating:  A     /    4.5 out of 5 stars

I received a complimentary digital copy of Unlucky in Love from NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my honest review.

Happy reading,

     Ellen

Defender by Diana Palmer ... a book review

Defender

Series: Long, Tall Texans

ISBN-13: 978-0373789733
Publisher: HQN Books

Available: June 28, 2016

Publisher's Description:

The man who shattered her trust is back to protect her… New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer delivers a breathtaking story of second-chance love.

When Paul Fiore disappeared from Isabel Grayling's life, he told himself it was for all the right reasons. She was young and innocent, and he was her millionaire father's lowly employee.

Three years on, Paul is the FBI agent assigned to Isabel's case. Too late, he realizes what life in her Texas mansion was really like back then—and how much damage he did when he left.
Once love-struck and sheltered, Isabel has become an assistant district attorney committed to serving the law, no matter how risky it gets. But right now, the man she can't forgive is the one thing standing between her and a deadly stalker. She knows Paul won't hesitate to protect her life with his own. But if she can't trust herself to resist him, how can she trust him not to break her heart all over again?

** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Oh my... once I began this book, I did not want to put it down!  Unfortunately, I did have to go to work and cook and clean..... my apologies, I digress!

Isabel and Merrie appear to have it all... a wealthy family, a doting father, personal bodyguards, and a loving housekeeper, Mandy Swilling.  As the story develops, we are drawn into the tension between Paul and Isabel, the girls and their father, and too many unanswered questions regarding the father and his business dealings.

As I neared the end of the book, I was enjoying how Diana Palmer was tying up all the different story lines.  Then, when I went to turn the page to the next chapter, I realized I was at the end of the book!  Since this ended with a cliffhanger, I look forward to the next book and continuing the story of Isabel, Merrie, Paul, and Mandy!

I received a complimentary digital copy of Defender from HQN Books and NetGalley for my honest review.

Happy reading,

   Ellen

Silent Sentry... a book review

Silent Sentry

by Theresa Rizzo

Available: April 3, 2016

ISBN: 9780989045

Rizzo Publishing

Suspense / Mystery thriller / Romance

Age range: 18 +

Publisher's Description:

Dr. Joe Scarfili runs. He’s a runner. It’s how he copes with emotional pain.

When his wife was murdered, he ran from violent Detroit to insular Grosse Pointe. He ran from his smothering, caring family to long hours in the operating room. But when he falls for Gianna, another run could cost him everything.

Nurse and entrepreneur Gianna Donnatelli is on the verge of making her dreams come true. Her company is poised to go public with a product guaranteed to revolutionize medical care and at the same time help revitalize Detroit, only she’s attacked, stalked, and flattened by an explosion. Then the danger escalates.

With Gianna’s life at stake, Joe can’t run. Despite the fact that he has no police or tech experience… Despite the fact that Gianna’s penchant for aiding Detroit’s underprivileged is the same kind of altruism that got his wife killed… Despite the fact that Gianna pushes all his insecurity buttons… This time, Joe will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

And Gianna protects those she loves just as fiercely. Together they’ll fight to save each other and their love... Or die trying.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

How does a young woman, raised in the affluent neighborhood of Grosse Point, end up living in one of Detroit's highest crime neighborhoods?  One that has a mind of her own to live among those who need a hand-up.

I loved this book... from the opening paragraph to the closing scene!  Theresa Rizzo has created characters so real that you feel you truly know them.  Add the well-researched information regarding the Mafia and the strong bonds of Italian families, and you have an award-winning combination.  Every time I thought I had the plot figured out, Theresa threw in more twists and turns in the story line which kept me guessing to the very end!

Silent Sentry is one of the best books I have read in a long time!  Thank you, Theresa, for pouring your creative talent into this wonderful story!

I received a complimentary digital copy of Silent Sentry from author Theresa Rizzo for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

    Ellen

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard... a book review

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard

by Susan Meissner

Penguin Random House LLC

January 5, 2016

ISBN 9780451475992

Women’s Fiction / Historical Fiction

Publisher’s Description:

“In this new novel from the acclaimed author of Secrets of a Charmed Life, two women working in Hollywood during its Golden Age discover the joy and heartbreak of true friendship.

Los Angeles, Present Day. When an iconic hat worn by Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind ends up in Christine McAllister's vintage clothing boutique by mistake, her efforts to return it to its owner take her on a journey more enchanting than any classic movie...

Los Angeles, 1938. Violet Mayfield sets out to reinvent herself in Hollywood after her dream of becoming a wife and mother falls apart, and lands a job on the film-set of Gone With the Wind. There, she meets enigmatic Audrey Duvall, a once-rising film star who is now a fellow secretary. Audrey's zest for life and their adventures together among Hollywood's glitterati enthrall Violet…until each woman's deepest desires collide. What Audrey and Violet are willing to risk, for themselves and for each other, to ensure their own happy endings will shape their friendship, and their lives, far into the future.”

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I love reading Susan Meissner’s novels!  Her style of writing draws the reader into the lives of the characters as they share their story.  I find myself cheering them on in good times and walking alongside them in bad times.  I found myself relating to both the main female characters: Audrey and her desire to fulfill her dream, and Violet wanting a good man and family.  Each woman overcomes many obstacles on their way to happiness.

I enjoyed the storyline setting during the filming of Gone With the Wind.  I am not up on the history of the making of the film, but Susan Meissner seamlessly weaved the girls’ story in and around the set, filming, and the “behind the scenes” work.  I easily pictured the secretary pool and the trolley rides to and from work.

So, grab a copy of Stars Over Sunset Boulevard and get lost in glamorous times past!

I received a complimentary digital copy of Stars Over Sunset Boulevard for my honest review from Penguin Random House LLC and NetGalley.

Happy reading,

     Ellen

The Jerusalem Prophecies by Terry Brennan

The Aleppo Code

By Terry Brennan

978-0-8254-4389-3

Fiction/Christian/Suspense/Thriller

The Jerusalem Prophecies, book 3

Kregel Publications, 2015

“A thousand-year-old manuscript reveals the existence of an ancient sanctuary. 

Within that sanctuary lies the most powerful weapon in the history of the world.”

The Aleppo Code by Terry Brennan is the final chapter in the mysteries deciphered from the thousand-year-old scroll and mezuzah found in the Bowery Mission.  The scroll’s message, written in demotic text, leads a misfit group around the world and into Jerusalem seeking the “treasure” at the end of a long and treacherous road.  Before I go any further, I must digress…

Book 1, The Sacred Cipher - “A secret room has been discovered in the Chapel of the Bowery Mission.  And what’s hidden inside reveals a mystery of biblical proportions.

“When New Yorker Tom Bohannon uncovers an ancient scroll containing a dead language that has been lost in the sands of time, he doesn’t fully comprehend the danger that’s about to unfold.  Though Tom and his team of ragtag scientists and historians want to decode the ancient text, others don’t want the cipher revealed.  And they are prepared to kill to keep it hidden.  From a market in nineteenth-century Alexandrea to a library in present-day New York to the tunnels beneath Jerusalem, the secret of the cipher is gradually revealing itself across the globe.  And for those in its path, life is about to change – forever.”

Book 2, The Brotherhood Conspiracy – “A secret as old as the prophets lies hidden in an ancient code.  That code may uncover an artifact as mysterious, and dangerous, as the Lost Ark.”

The Brotherhood Conspiracy continues with Bohannon’s group realizing there is another mystery on the mezuzah which was not understood in The Sacred Cipher.  The groups chasing them will not stop until they have the mezuzah and scroll in their possession.  Once again, the group heads out to parts unknown to seek what is hidden.  “One step ahead of an ancient gang of assassins, and one step behind the deadline for impending disaster, the team encounters the death of friends and colleagues and maneuvers through a maze of political treachery, religious fanaticism, and traitorous machinations – to the very brink of judgement orchestrated by a force greater than they could have imagined.”

Book 3, The Aleppo Code - “A thousand-year-old manuscript reveals the existence of an ancient sanctuary.  Within that sanctuary lies the most powerful weapon in the history of the world.”

“Having chased the secret of the Cipher through a maze of treachery, death, and destruction, Tom Bohannon’s band of explorers seems to be at a dead end.  But the discovery of a tenth-century scriptural text holding the final key to the ancient code hurls them right back into the fray.”

As much as I would love to tell you the storyline and its outcome, I cannot – no spoilers in this review.  All three books are amazing!  Terry Brennan has woven a suspense-filled, theological mystery so real that you can “almost” imagine it happening today.  His use of biblical history, archeology and present-day news and political unrest intertwined with the fictional storyline will keep you enthralled to the end!

From the opening paragraph in The Sacred Cipher to the final page in The Aleppo Code, I was pulled into the mystery of the ancient scroll.  The characters were everyday people being asked to believe by faith, not by sight.  People I can relate to; people who believed the unbelievable.  I cheered them on, grieved with them, and peered around the tunnels along with them.

I look forward to many more reads from Terry Brennan!

A huge thank you goes to Kregel Publishing for allowing me to read and review these amazing books!

I received complimentary print copies of The Sacred Cipher, The Brotherhood Conspiracy, and The Aleppo Code from Kregel Publishing for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

All Is Bright... a book review

All Is Bright

by Colleen Coble

A Hope Beach Christmas Novella

Publisher:Thomas Nelson 

Available October 2015

Christian fiction / Mystery / Suspense / Romance

Publisher's Description:

A romantic Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn gives Delilah's unique gifts a chance to shine. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say 'I do'? A romantic, Christmas wedding at her seaside hotel gives Delilah a chance to shine with her unique gifts. But will her light be snuffed out before the bride and groom say “I do”?

As manager of the Tidewater Inn, Delilah Carter has been planning a spectacular Christmas wedding for her friends at the grand hotel overlooking the ocean. While picking up still more twinkly lights and some last-minute groceries for the reception dinner, a huge truck runs her off the freezing, wet roads into the dark night. Her car stops just short of an enormous tree and the truck speeds off into the night. Delilah escapes with her life and has almost convinced herself the whole thing was an accident, but then she begins to receive threatening phone calls. With the wedding just hours away, she’s distracted and anxious. Then Sheriff Tom Bourne stops by the inn and volunteers to help.

Tom has always had a soft spot for Delilah, and he’s determined to protect her. But he is pulled away by a bizarre Christmas stunt that has the neighborhood reeling, and Delilah is attacked again.  Will Delilah have to cancel the Christmas wedding at Tidewater Inn? And will Tom’s protection be enough to save Delilah from the shadowy figure looming in the background?

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

All Is Bright is another keeper for my bookshelf to revisit over the years!  I have enjoyed many of Colleen Coble's novels and this one did not disappoint.  Novellas concern me that the author is only able to scratch the surface of the story line, but that is not the case with All Is Bright.  Colleen Coble seamlessly develops the characters and the story line in a way that makes the reader feel as it you are reading a full novel.  I enjoy vising Tidewater Inn and those that reside there.

So, grab All Is Bright, your favorite warm beverage, and curl up with a heart-warming read that will give you a break from your own hectic life!

I received a complimentary digital copy of All Is Bright from Thomas Nelson and BookLook Blogger program for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Ties That Bind... a book review

The Amish of Summer Grove, Book One

by Cindy Woodsmall

ISBN: 978-1-60142-699-4

WaterBrook Press

September 2015

Book Description:

Ariana s comfortable Old Order Amish world is about to unravel. Will holding tightly to the cords of family keep them together or simply tear them apart? 

Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a cafe in historic Summer Grove to help support her family's ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.  Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.  Despite how things look, Quill's goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of.  His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the cafe because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I always enjoy a wonderfully written story of the Amish and Ties That Bind did not disappoint.   Author Cindy Woodsmall introduced me to a close-knit family and their Amish community living a simple, God-fearing life in Summer Grove, Pennsylvania.  I was drawn into the lives of Ariana and her family from page one.  I found myself cheering her on as she works toward buying the cafe and felt my heart stop when she learned the truth regarding the night she was born.  I was wondering how Cindy Woodsmall was going to tie up all the storylines in the book and then realized this was the first book in a new series!  I was so excited and disappointed... I love the book and now I have to wait for the next book to learn the outcome of Ariana's life!

For more information on Cindy Woodsmall, her books, and Amish recipes, check out her website.

I received a complimentary copy of Ties That Bind from WaterBrook Press and their Blogging for Books program for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Eve... a book review

ISBN: 978-1-5011-0142-7

Available: September 2015

Publisher: Howard Books: An Imprint of Simon and Schuster, Inc.

Eve by Wm. Paul Young takes an elaborate look at Creation and God’s unending love, grace, and mercy.  Woven into a story of one girl’s search for meaning in her broken life, we find ourselves seeing a new side of God and His all-consuming desire of reconciliation with us.  It did take a while for me not to focus on the characters titles: Collector, Guardian, Healer, Mender, Scholars, and Engineer just to name a few, but to focus on their jobs and accomplishments.  As I neared the end of the story, I saw truths in my own life which were mirrored in the novel, Eve.  This will be a story which will be revisited often – in book and in thought. 

A few of the many nuggets gleaned from this story:

“Prayer is mostly about talking to God – about life and people and what is before us and who matters to us in that moment” (p. 101).  ~ Gerald

“… trust is about relationship, not power.  When two dance, each is always respectfully attuned to the other.  There is a timing of relationship, and that is Ruach’s (the Holy Spirit) playground” (page 257).  ~  God / Adonai

I received a free copy of Eve from NetGalley and Howard Books for my honest review.

Happy Reading!

      Ellen

The Lost Codex... a book review

The Lost Codex

An OPSIG Team Black Novel

By Alan Jacobson

Available: November 3, 2015

Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media

Mystery / Thriller / Suspense/ Spies and Politics

ISBN-13: 978-1504003636

 

Publisher’s Description:

In a novel Jeffery Deaver has called “brilliant,” two ancient biblical documents reveal long-buried secrets that could change the world as we know it.

n 930 CE, a revered group of scholars pen the first sanctioned Bible, planting the seed from which other major religions will grow. But in 1953, half the manuscript goes missing while being transported from Syria. Around the same time, in the foothills of the Dead Sea, an ancient scroll is discovered—and promptly stolen. Six decades later, both parchments stand at the heart of a geopolitical battle between foreign governments and radical extremists, threatening the lives of millions. With the American homeland under siege, the president turns to a team of uniquely trained covert operatives including FBI profiler Karen Vail, Special Forces veteran Hector DeSantos, and FBI terrorism expert Aaron Uziel. Their mission: Find the stolen documents and capture—or kill—those responsible for unleashing a coordinated and unprecedented attack on US soil.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

I first met Karen Vail in Alan Jacobson’s novel Spectrum, published in 2014.  She works as an FBI profiler; and in this new book, she has teamed up with other FBI agents known as OPSIG operators (Operations support Intelligence Group) to carry out covert, deniable missions around the world.

This novel begins in Washington, DC and travels the globe in search of two ancient Biblical documents which could change the world.  It is fast-paced with many twists and turns along the way.  Once I was hooked on the prologue, I did not want to put it down! 

Fantastic, action packed novel with well-developed characters… live life on the edge with FBI profiler Karen Vail, Special Forces veteran Hector DeSantos, FBI terrorism expert Aaron Uziel, and many more!  I look forward to many more great books from Alan Jacobson.

I received this e-book from Open Road Media and NetGalley for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

         Ellen

The Bones Will Speak... a book review

The Bones will Speak

A Gwen Marcey Novel series, book 2

by Carrie Stuart Parks

Thomas Nelson Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-4016-9045-8

Available: August 11, 2015

 

Book Description

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey has become the target of a serial killer who believes he's been appointed God's executioner.

In Copper Creek, Montana, Gwen Marcey is struggling to put together her life after cancer and divorce. When her dog retrieves a skull of a murder victim and leads her to the victim's grave, Gwen uses her forensic art ability to identify a serial killer. She is horrified to discover all the victims look like her fourteen-year-old daughter.

The murderer is a "lone wolf," a member of the terrorist group Phineas Priesthood-and he has a score to settle with Gwen. Unraveling the tangled Christian Identity movement, where race-not grace-provides salvation, Gwen is in a frantic rush against time. She must use all her skills to uncover the killer before he can carry out his threat to destroy her and everyone she loves.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Author Carrie Stuart Parks, an internationally known forensic artist herself, has penned a terrific mystery/suspense novel that hooks you from page one to the closing paragraph.  The main character, Gwen Marcey, is living through real-life problems that many of us are either dealing with or know someone who is.  Add a mysterious cranium, bones of a young woman, and a live victim to bring a chilling serial killer to their small town.


This is the first novel from Carrie Stuart Parks that I have read, but it will not be the last!  Although I have a crazy, busy life, I read The Bones Will Speak in two days.  I look forward to reading the first book of the series A Cry from the Dust.


I received The Bones Will Speak: A Gwen Marcey novel from Thomas Nelson Publisher and their BookLook Bloggers program.

Happy Reading,

     

        Ellen

Her Brother's Keeper... a book review

Her Brother’s Keeper

An Amish Secrets Novel

By BethWiseman

Thomas Nelson Publishing

Available: July 7, 2015

978-1-4016-8600-0 (e-book)

978-1-4016-8596-6 (soft cover)

 

Publisher’s Description:

 

Charlotte came to Amish country to find answers. What she never expected to find was peace.

Charlotte Dolinsky is not above playing dress-up and telling a few lies to find out what happened to her only brother. In fact, that is exactly what she’s come to Lancaster County to do. Now, calling herself Mary and slipping on a kapp, Charlotte will lie her way into the confidence of anyone who knows why Ethan had to die - unless she gets found out first.

But when Charlotte befriends a quiet Amish man named Isaac Miller, she begins to rethink her motives. And with a little help from a friend back home, Charlotte might find out that love comes packaged in ways she couldn’t have foreseen.

Isaac’s been caring for his cancer-stricken father and sympathizing with his frustrated mother for three difficult years. And that means he hasn’t been dating. He believes Hannah King is the woman for him, but Hannah is still grieving the loss of her fiancé, and Isaac has all he can handle on the farm. When Hannah’s family plays host to a woman named Mary, their new cousin shakes things up for all of them.

As Charlotte digs deeper into the mystery of Ethan’s death, she finds more than she’d bargained for in the community he once called home. But will she ever learn the truth? And what will the community—and her new family—do if they learn the truth about her?

 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

From the opening paragraph to the closing page, I walked alongside “Mary” hoping to find closure in her brother’s death.  As she bumbles her way through the Amish culture, she finds clues to who her brother was before his death.  Through her search for answers, God works in her heart to bring her to saving faith. 

I truly enjoy Amish fiction.  With each new novel I read, I get a glimpse of the Amish lifestyle – God, family, and community.  Their strong family and community ties bind them together in a way I do not experience.  I guess this is why I keep coming back to this genre – love, faith, and family!

Thank you, Beth Wiseman, for weaving another wonderful story!

I received a complimentary e-book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and their BookLook Blogging for Books program for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

  

        Ellen

Lorie's Heart... a book review

Lorie's Heart

By Amy Lillard

Kensington Publishing

Wells Landing Series

ISBN: 978-1-4201-3457-5

Amish Christian fiction / Mystery

Publisher’s Description

Welcome back to Wells Landing, Oklahoma, the tranquil Amish community where still waters run deep and a brave young woman sets out to discover her faith, her family, and herself…

Lorie Kauffman is grief-stricken when her father passes away unexpectedly. But her heartache quickly turns to bewilderment when she discovers he'd been leading two lives—one of simplicity and hard work in Wells Landing, and one fraught with painful ordeals in Tulsa. As she starts digging into her family's past, Lorie finds herself torn between the Amish world and the Englisch world—and she's no longer certain where she belongs…

Lorie knows that if she leaves Wells Landing, she may never be able to return. But what if her destiny lies in the outside world—the world her father knew so well? Change is never easy, but with a bit of courage and the help of a handsome and kind-hearted Englischer, she just may find the peace, acceptance, and love she's been longing for…

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

As I turned the last page of this wonderful book, I knew I was going to miss these characters - new found friends.  I rode the emotional "roller coaster" along with Lorie as she began unraveling her father's past.   Lorie not only has to grieve in the Amish way, but she also feels compelled to learn of her father’s life away from the community.  Will her desire to know the truth about her father draw her closer to the Amish community or the Englischer world?  Amy Lillard brought these characters to life in believable situations and real-life problems.  I look forward to reading the other books in this series: Caroline's Secret and Courting Emily.

Happy Reading!

     Ellen

Awake... a book review

Awake

by Natasha Preston

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Teens & YA, Mystery, Thriller

Available: August 4, 2015

ISBN 9781492618522

Publisher's Description:
Scarlett doesn’t remember anything before the age of five. Her parents say it’s from the trauma of seeing her house burn down, and she accepts the life they’ve created for her without question—until a car accident causes Scarlett to start remembering pieces of an unfamiliar past.

When a new guy moves into town, Scarlett feels an instant spark. But Noah knows the truth of Scarlett’s past, and he’s determined to shield her from it...because Scarlett grew up in a cult called Eternal Light, controlled by her biological parents.

And they want her back.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

At first, I did not know what to expect from this book.  I usually do not enjoy books in which the chapters are written from each character's point of view.  Yet, this technique did not leave me scratching my head or wondering what is going on. 

The idea of have no memories of the first four year of your life does not seem strange.  I do not have clear memories from my early years.  But when peculiar flash backs begin occurring after the car accident, Scarlett pushes her parents to reveal the truth of her early years.

Natasha Preston has penned  "a coming of age" story with a twist - boy meets girl with frightening, repressed memories.  This book has it all... suspense, mystery, and a bit of romance!  The storyline had me hooked from page one and did not end until I finished the last page!

I received a complimentary digital copy of Awake from NetGalley.com and Sourcebooks Fire for my honest review.

Happy Reading,

     Ellen

Once Upon a Cowboy... a book review

Once Upon a Cowboy

A Whisper Creek Novel, #3

by Maggie McGinnis

Random House Publishing Group

Available: June 30, 2015

ISBN: 9781101884966

Contemporary Romance

Publisher's Description:

 
Yoga instructor Jessalyn Alcott radiates peace, calm, and serenity—on the outside. Inside, she still feels like the broken, desperate girl from the trailer park. She's got dark secrets she can't share, which is why she never lets her relationships go beyond the third date. But when she travels to the Whisper Creek dude ranch for a friend's wedding, Jess is enchanted by a cowboy whose deep blue eyes, dimpled smile, and rock-hard body make it tough to remember why she keeps running scared.

Cole Driscoll has struggled to find his place on a family ranch where he's always played second fiddle. His future might be uncertain, but he's sure of one thing: He wants Jess by his side. Easier said than done. When it comes to getting close, she's full of excuses, and he longs to fix the hurt he sees in her eyes. Now that she's at Whisper Creek, there's nothing he wants more than to break down the walls around her heart and heal her pain with the power of love.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * *  *  *  *  *

Maggie McGinnis has outdone herself in Once Upon a Cowboy.  In this third book of the Whisper Creek series, we come alongside Jess, the last of the three college friends who are slowly marrying off to Whisper Creek men.  We meet all three in Accidental Cowgirl; but Jess' story in Once Upon a Cowboy brings home what many women survive: abuse from the ones who should be protecting them. 

Maggie has penned a heart-felt story of how the past not only affects your past, but also your present and future.  As Jess' story unfolds, she realizes she must face her demons from the past if she is ever going to move forward.  Unfortunately, I could relate to the emotions Jess was reliving.  I laughed with my character "friends," felt my heartbreak as Jess' story slowly unfolded, and cheered her on as she began trusting others.

Thank you, Maggie McGinnis, for bring these characters to life in your Whisper Creek series!

I received a complimentary e-copy of Once Upon a Cowboy from Random House Publishing and NetGalley for my honest review.

Happy reading,

     Ellen

Inside the O'Briens... a book review

An amazing and heart-rending read....

an insider's look showing how to live well, and die honorably, with Huntington's Disease.

by Lisa Genova

Publisher: Gallery Books

Available April 2015

ISBN 9781476717777

Medical Fiction

Publisher's Description:


Joe O’Brien is a forty-four-year-old police officer from the Irish Catholic neighborhood of Charlestown, Massachusetts. A devoted husband, proud father of four children in their twenties, and respected officer, Joe begins experiencing bouts of disorganized thinking, uncharacteristic temper outbursts, and strange, involuntary movements. He initially attributes these episodes to the stress of his job, but as these symptoms worsen, he agrees to see a neurologist and is handed a diagnosis that will change his and his family’s lives forever: Huntington’s Disease.


Huntington’s is a lethal neurodegenerative disease with no treatment and no cure. Each of Joe’s four children has a 50 percent chance of inheriting their father’s disease, and a simple blood test can reveal their genetic fate. While watching her potential future in her father’s escalating symptoms, twenty-one-year-old daughter Katie struggles with the questions this test imposes on her young adult life. Does she want to know? What if she’s gene positive? Can she live with the constant anxiety of not knowing?


As Joe’s symptoms worsen and he’s eventually stripped of his badge and more, Joe struggles to maintain hope and a sense of purpose, while Katie and her siblings must find the courage to either live a life “at risk” or learn their fate.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Never having read any of Lisa Genova's previous books, I was totally unprepared for the open and honest portrayal of a family living with Huntington's Disease... the ups, the downs, the anger, the fear.  We have been given a gift to not only learn about the disease itself, but also the challenges and unknowns for families living with this horrendous diagnosis.


Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude from Bate College with a degree in Biopsychology and has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University.  With her training in the neurosciences and her wonderful storytelling, she has crafted a story with characters who could very well be our neighbors.  We are given an "insider's" look into the devastating physical and emotional challenges of families living with Huntington's Disease.


I look forward to reading Still Alice about a Harvard professor who suffers early onset Alzheimer's Disease.  Then, just maybe, I will see the motion picture created from the book.


I received a complimentary e-copy of Inside the O'Briens from NetGalley and Gallery Books for my honest review.


Happy reading,


    Ellen