WHEN COURAGE CALLS

Beth Thatcher has spent her entire life in the safe, comfortable world of her family, her friends, and the social outings her father's wealth provides. But Beth is about to leave it all behind to accept a teaching position in the rugged foothills of western Canada. Inspired by her aunt Elizabeth, who went west to teach school several years ago, and gently encouraged by her father, Beth resolves to put her trust in God and bravely face any challenge that comes her way.

But the conditions in Coal Valley are even worse than she'd feared. A recent mining accident has left the town grieving and at the mercy of the mining company. The children have had very little prior education, and many of the locals don't even speak English. There isn't even a proper schoolhouse. In addition, Beth's heart is torn between two young men---both Mounties, one a lifelong friend and the other a kind, quiet man who comes to her aid more than once.

Despite the many challenges, Beth is determined to make a difference in the rustic frontier town. But when her sister visits from the East, reminding her of all the luxuries she's had to give up, will Beth decide to return to her privileged life as soon as the school year is over?



My thoughts...

Janette Oke is a good storyteller. It's easy to get caught up in the book right away because her characters are likeable and the storyline is interesting. A little romance mixed in makes this a delightful book. On the negative side the book has a very slow beginning but keep reading!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

THE SINNER'S GARDEN

Andy Kemp’s young life has been as ravaged as his scarred face. Disfigured by an abusive father, the teenager hides behind his books and an impenetrable wall of cynicism and anger.

As Andy’s mother struggles to reconnect with him, his Uncle Rip returns transformed from a stint in prison and wants to be a mentor to the reclusive boy, doing everything he can to help end Andy’s pain. When Andy begins hearing strange music through his iPod and making near-prophetic announcements, Rip is convinced that what Andy is hearing is the voice of God.

Elsewhere, police officer Heather Gerisch responds to a late-night breaking and entering in one of the poorest homes in town. She soon realizes that the masked prowler has left thousands of dollars in gift cards from a local grocery store.

As the bizarre break-ins continue and Heather pursues the elusive “Summer Santa,” Andy and Rip discover an enormous and well-kept garden of wildflowers that seems to have grown overnight at an abandoned steel mill.

Soon, they realize who the gardener is, and a spree of miracles transfigures this small town from a place of hopelessness into a place of healing and beauty.



My thoughts...

First off I must say I loved the characters, the author knows how to portray people that are loveable and so real. The plot is unique, loved it as well. Sirls is an incredible writer and knows the heart of God. This is a wonderful story of forgiveness which ultimately is love.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

ASK ME ANYTHING LORD

When God calls people to make an impact, feelings of fear, doubt, and insufficiency can often get in the way. In Ask Me Anything, Lord, Heather C. King reminds readers that God can use questions in Scripture to uncover their fears, challenge their thinking, and help them overcome. Exploring some of the encounters God had with people throughout the Bible and sharing her own experiences, King encourages readers to draw closer to God, receive the fullness of His blessings, and boldly move forward.

My thoughts...

Thought provoking is how I would describe this book! I'm so glad I read it, the author brings to our attention the questions God asks in His Word, a wonderful way to go deeper in your relationship with Him. I was left with a peace in my heart and more awe for God Almighty.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

FRIEND ME

When a lonely wife and her frustrated husband each secretly pursue companionship online, neither dreams that a real woman is behind their virtual creations, threatening their marriage---and their lives.

Scott and Rachel's marriage is on the brink of disaster. Scott, a businessman with a high-pressure job, just wants Rachel to understand him and accept his flaws. Rachel is a lonely housewife, desperate for attention and friendship. So she decides to create a virtual friend online, unaware that Scott is doing the exact same thing. As Rachel desperately tries to re-create a friendship with a friend who has passed, Scott becomes unfaithful and is torn between the love for his wife and the perfection of his cyber-girlfriend. But neither realizes that there's a much larger problem looming . . .

Behind both of their online creations is Melissa, a woman who is brilliant---and totally insane. Masquerading as both friend and lover, Melissa programmed a search parameter into the virtual friend software to find her perfect man, but along the way she forgot to specify his marriage status. And Scott is her ideal match. Now Melissa is determined to have it all---Scott, his family, and Rachel's life.

As Melissa grows bolder and her online manipulations transition into the real world, Scott and Rachel figure out they are being played. Now it's a race against time as Scott and Rachel fight to save their marriage, and their lives, before it's too late.

In today's digital age, the Internet presents all kinds of opportunities to test our personal boundaries, and this exciting and suspenseful story raises important questions about the ethics of virtual relationships. Friend Me will open your eyes to a new---and terrifying---moral dimensions and how they play out in the real world.



My thoughts...

For a first novel this was pretty darn good. A situation that fits right in today's world and the dangers that can come from social media. Suspenseful and creepy is how I would describe the book. The character, Melissa, is a strange lady and her story is one worth reading.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

SMITTEN BOOK CLUB

In this remarkable collaborative novel, besties Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt tackle the tale of the Gentlewoman's Guide by writing for one book club member apiece. Smitten Book Club is a hopeful, hilarious story of friendship and healing, written by friends for friends.

The century-old Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship is no ordinary book club choice. But for the little book club in Smitten, Vermont, it might be their best pick yet!

The thick, leathery tome Heather pulled out of the dusty cardboard box was definitely coming home with her. Not only was The Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship an appealing curiosity by virtue of its title; it was also written by Smitten, Vermont native Pearl Chambers, a local gentlewoman from three generations back.

Little did Heather know the repercussions this little curiosity would have on her and her friends' romantic exploits. When Heather and her fellow book club members begin passing the book around, their respective interpretations are unleashed on their respective love lives . . . for better or for worse. Is it a mystery? An idealist fantasy? An intimation of Jane Austen? As romantic love finds its way to each woman, the Guide proves itself both surprisingly prescient and hilariously irrelevant.

What's more, a handwritten inscription indicates that the arcane book might hold the only extant clues leading to buried gold-exactly what one of the members needs to keep her house. How could they not go treasure hunting?



My thoughts...

Four novella's in one book by four wonderful authors. This was such a delightful read, four women in the Smitten book club searching for romance with a light mystery in the middle. Fun, fast paced, likeable characters that I hope to meet again.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

POISON TOWN

There’s More Than One Kind of Poison in This Town People are sick and dying. Rumors are swirling. Some claim chemicals leaking from a manufacturing plant are causing the cancer that’s crippling people on the poor side of Trenton City, Ohio. Yet nothing at the plant appears amiss. The problem remains a mystery until reporter Jack Crittendon’s long-time mechanic falls ill and he investigates.

Soon Jack becomes engulfed in a smokescreen of lies, setups, greed, and scandal. The deeper he digs, the more toxic the corruption he uncovers. As he faces off with the big-time players behind the scenes and tries to beat the clock before more people die, he realizes the chillingly unthinkable—he knows too much.

My thoughts...

Creston Mapes is good storyteller. In this suspenseful tale of knowing too much about an illegal activity Jack Crittendon's life is in danger and so are the lives of many others living in the town of Trenton City, OH. The town is being poisoned and Jack is determined to expose the guilty. A great read! I'm looking forward to more from this author.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

TIGER SHRIMP TANGO

When a scam artist’s certain new scheme goes horribly awry, only one person can set things right: obsessive Florida trivia buff and reluctant serial killer Serge Storms. But Serge’s mission is hampered by one pesky little detail. ... He’s being tracked by a hit man dispatched from Serge’s murky past. And when Serge learns the same assassin killed the love of his life a few years back, they begin tracking each other in a sun-splashed mobius loop, and all bets are off.

All just another day in Serge’s paradise.

My thoughts...

If you haven't read any of Tom Dorsey's books you don't know what you're missing so I'll tell you...it's fast moving...entertaining...full of hilarious antics and lunatics you wouldn't believe...give me more of Serge Storms!

I received a copy of this book free from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

HOW SWEET THE SOUND

From a distance, the Harlans appear to be the perfect Southern family. Wealth and local fame mask the drama and dysfunction swirling through their family line. But as the summer heats up, a flood tide of long hidden secrets surface.

Devastation from a rape followed by the murder of two family members brings three generations of the Harlans together on their pecan plantation in Bay Spring, Alabama. Chief among them is Anniston, who by the time she turned thirteen thought she’d seen it all. But as her heart awakens to the possibility of love, she begins to deal with her loneliness and grief.

This tender coming-of-age tale, inspired by the story of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13, shows how true healing and hope comes only from God. Though our earthly family can wound and disappoint, our heavenly Father brings freedom to those long held captive through His mercy and grace.

My thoughts...

The story of a young girl whose life is filled with horrors and their aftermath. Things no child should have to go through. My heart went out to Anniston and her friend, Jed. Though the grandmother had gone through similar things when younger I found it hard to sympathize with her. That old cliche is true...hurting people hurt people.

I like how the book ended...giving hope to a young girl whose life had none. A talented writer with a wonderfully written book. 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

THE VICAR'S WIFE

A New Yorker all her life, Jane Hatton loved her job as the head of a charity championing women's rights, but her fourteen-year-old daughter, Natalie, had fallen in with the wrong crowd at her Manhattan school. So Jane and her British husband, Andrew, have decided to move their family to the English countryside.

The Hattons have bought the large old vicarage in a small village on the Cumbrian coast, near Andrew's new job. The silence and solitude of a remote village is quite a change. Natalie hates her new school, and eleven-year-old Ben struggles academically. Only seven-year-old Merrie enjoys country life. Has Jane made a horrible mistake? What of her career? Her own identity?

Putting on a brave face for the family, Jane tackles renovating the rambling, drafty old house. When she finds a scrap of a very old shopping list, she grows curious about Alice, the vicar's wife who lived there years before.

As the twin narratives unfold--of Jane in the present and Alice in the 1930s--we discover that both are on a journey to discover their true selves, and to address their deepest fears.

My thoughts...



It was easy to get drawn into the lives of these two women...one from the past and one modern day. Women searching for their place in the world. One of them needed to get over her pity party but I guess she isn't the only one that has those. A charming story that keeps you reading to see how things are worked out in the end.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A PROMISE KEPT by Robin Lee Hatcher

Tony Kavanagh had been Allison's dream­ come­ true. They were in love within days, engaged within weeks, married and pregnant within a year. Her cup bubbled over with joy . . . but years later, that joy had been extinguished by unexpected trials.

The day Allison issued her husband an ultimatum, she thought it might save him. She never expected he would actually leave. She was certain God had promised to heal; it was clear that she'd misunderstood.

Now, living in the quiet mountain cabin she inherited from her single, self ­reliant Great Aunt Emma, Allison must come to terms with her grief and figure out how to adapt to small town life. But when she finds a wedding dress and a collection of journals in Emma's attic, a portrait of her aunt emerges that takes Allison completely by surprise: a portrait of a heartbroken woman surprisingly like herself.

As Allison reads the incredible story of Emma's life in the 1920s and 1930s, she is forced to ask a difficult question: Does she really surrender every piece of her life to the Lord?

Drawing from her own heart­wrenching story of redemption, A Promise Kept is Robin Lee Hatcher's emotionally charged thanksgiving to a God who answers prayers­ in His own time and His own ways.



My thoughts...

I loved this story, loved how the two women's lives were weaved together though they were years apart, you can't help but become emotionally attached to them. Allison's healing from the resentments of years of hurt and shame is touching. Emma's story is a sad one as well but both women are strong and with God's help make it through the hardships.

Robin's writing style draws you in. That's what I love about her books!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

WILDWOOD CREEK by Lisa Wingate

Allie Kirkland has always heard the call of her father's unfinished destiny. When she's offered a production assistant's job on a docudrama filming in the hills near Moses Lake, Texas, the dream of following in her director-father's footsteps suddenly seems within reach. The reenactment of the legendary frontier settlement of Wildwood is a first step into the film industry. A summer on set in the wilderness is a small price to pay for a dream.

But in 1861, the real Wildwood held dangerous realities. Town founder Harland Delavan held helpless residents, including young Irish schoolteacher Bonnie Rose, in an iron grip. Mysterious disappearances led to myths and legends still retold in the region's folk songs. Eventually, the entire site was found abandoned.

When filming begins, strange connections surface between Allie and the teacher who disappeared over a century ago, and everyone in Wildwood--including Blake Fulton, Allie's handsome neighbor on the film set--seems to be hiding secrets. Allie doesn't know whom she can trust. If she can't find the answers in time, history may repeat itself...with the most unthinkable results.

My thoughts...

Stories about pioneer life really interest me, I loved this book because of that and the way the author brought in a modern day character as well. Their storylines are not all that different but they are... yeah that makes sense, right?

A reenactment that effects the lives of the actors...unique...touching...a treasure. Loved this book!

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.