Becky’s Book Reviews with a Bent to Christian Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction, and Cozies!
Author: Babbling Becky L
I am a first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. Having formerly taught elementary school, I am now a retired special education para-pro. I miss our amazing students! I am married with three great young adult children, one married in South Carolina. My husband and I are empty-nesters but share our home with a huge tiger cat and a playful Shih-Tzu, plus often the granddog. More time for my fave past-time now-reading!😊
He knows the pain of betrayal. She has a past that could ruin her future. What can heal their brokenness?
Tony Coniglio loves being single again and the freedom that comes with it. But when he’s pressured to ask out the next available woman, he agrees, just to get his family off his back—even though she’s the town’s all-too-serious cop.
Officer Stacy Kallisto is by the book. Maybe it’s because she once broke the rules and has regretted it ever since. When trouble around town leaves Stacy searching for the culprit, she keeps running into Tony, the one man who wants to know more about her than she wants to share.
As sparks fly and secrets are revealed, Stacy wonders if there’s room in her heart for a man so different from herself—and for the God she wrote off long ago.
My Impressions
Having earlier read The Trouble with Tulips, I jumped at the chance to read Emily Dana Botrous’s next book, The Fault in Firelight. After losing a brotherly bet, divorced Tony Coniglio is told he has a week to ask out the next single woman who walks through the door. Unfortunately, that lady is policewoman Stacy Kallisto, who promptly refuses Tony. Now that her storage unit has been vandalized, he’ll have to contact her again. “Relationships required trust. Trust and secrets made for a poor mix, and she’d sacrificed too much to let the truth out for a man.” Stacy is a superior police officer, and next in line for the police chief’s role, but her private life is a mess. Torn by regrets, insecurities, and bitterness, she has built a wall around her heart.
Tony is a deeply caring and fun guy who finds himself surprised at his attraction to Officer Kallisto. Working with her to find out who burglarized her storage unit, he falls harder and harder, only to have Stacy hold him at arm’s distance. I enjoyed this novel. It contains elements of a contemporary romance, mixed with romantic suspense, mixed with a bit of a psychological study. ( Why do people do what they do? How and why does that affect the character so deeply? ) And most importantly, can Stacy and Tony break the repeated cycles and shackles that bind them and find the love they yearn for?
If you enjoy contemporary romance and romantic suspense with tidbits of faith to guide you, this is a book for you. Plus there are more coming. Marcy’s story is up soon. I’ll be here. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Great!
About the Author
Emily Dana Botrous lives in San Diego, California with her husband and their four children. She lived in 10 states before she settled on the West Coast where she plans to stay for awhile. She started writing short stories at age 10 and studied English in college. The only thing she enjoys more than writing is motherhood. While there are a lot of things that matter to Emily, nothing is more important to her than Jesus Christ. It is her goal to point anyone who reads her writing toward Him. When Emily isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, long walks, music, and playing with her kids. “A New Shade of Paint” is her first book.
Six short stories by the men of Amish fiction to entertain and educate you. You’ll journey with an Amish man and the Jewish woman whose life he saves, agonize with an Amish girl in love with an Englische man, fret with two sisters both in love with the same man, pray with the family whose child is injured in a fall, work with the Amish sheriff in a western town, and laugh at the girl forced to be Amish for the summer.
If I mention Amish fiction, how many authors could you list? I could easily list four or five, then stretch it maybe to ten with a little thought. And they would all be women. So, The Amish Menorah and Other Stories “by the men of Amish fiction,” caught my attention. This compilation of novellas is a potluck of tastes of writers Patrick Craig, Willard Carpenter, Jerry Eicher, Thomas Nye, Murray Pura, and Amos Wyse. Each man told a very different tale and got a different reaction from me. Patrick Craig’s Amish Menorah was full of suspense and romance between Gerd and Emily. Joshua was my favorite character. I was disappointed when the ending skipped several years of hardship to complete the story happily. While necessary for the length of the narrative, the tale felt unbalanced, action-wise. I had a hard time getting into the second offering, A Cloudy Day, by Willard Carpenter. It is written in the first-person plural present tense. I found this extremely distracting. The author did a good job of showing the very real problems an Englischer army recruit and his Amish intended go through, but I wanted a less abrupt ending and much more resolution than we got. I enjoyed The Silo by Thomas Nye. All through the telling, the reader has a sense of foreboding. What is going to happen? The events are largely seen through the eyes of the eldest brother, Harvey, 15, of a large Amish family. I was surprised exactly what happens and felt the story had a good, solid ending.
Lone Star by Murray Pura is unusual. This short story tells of a crime-ridden Kansas town that solved its problem with a pacifist Amish sheriff, Saul Miller. As outlandish as the idea was, I thought the author explained well how it could have happened. At times the narrative starts to sound a little like a textbook. I wanted the characters to have a little more life. But then, Pura has already pulled off a coup in getting the concept to fly, and the end was a good finishing touch.
My favorite of the group was Amish for the Summer by Amos Wyse. When a drunk, spoiled, rich girl DeeDee causes trouble for an Amish family, she can go to jail or stay with the family for the summer. A very fulfilling story as DeeDee matures and grows up. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the authors and publisher from Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required. All opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Great!
About the Authors
To know Wil, one would probably not think of him as an author. He is a husband, a father, a Christian, a veteran, a business owner, and a servant. He has led a life of bold and diverse experiences that immediately capture one’s attention. Wil has an unexpected artistic and creative side—something that might be considered uncommon, given his life’s works. Wil’s greatest inner strength is his expression and creativity. His life’s works give a credit to his writing that few other fiction authors possess. This generates a vivid degree of realism above and beyond other works of fiction.
Amazon bestselling author Patrick E. Craig is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful music career to become a pastor in 1986. In 2007 he retired to concentrate on writing and publishing fiction books. In 2013, Harvest House Publishers published his first Amish series, Apple Creek Dreams. Patrick and his wife, Judy, live in Idaho. They have two daughters and Five grandchildren. Patrick is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.
Jerry Eicher was born to Amish parents, and raised in an Amish settlement in Honduras, Central America. The family returned stateside in the late seventies, when Jerry was sixteen. He spent his youth with a beloved Amish youth group in Belle Center, Ohio, and was married in 1983 to Tina Schmucker, whose parents had moved to the community from Nappanee, Indiana. Jerry and Tina left the Amish to join the Mennonites after the birth of their second son. He wrote his first work in the early twenties, a fictionalized version of his childhood in Central America. His second title was an Amish love story— Sarah. Since then Jerry has published over thirty fiction titles and sold nearly a million books.
Thomas Nye writes novels about Amish life, with a touch of romance, and a foundation of faith in Christ. He and his wife, Shari, live on her family farm where they raised five children. They have seven grandchildren and a team of draft horses. Thomas walks a mail route for the US Postal Service. It keeps him close to nature and a affords many quiet hours in which to dream up novels. “Over three decades of friendships with Amish neighbors has revealed a simple wisdom that inspires my writing.” To find out more about Thomas Nye and his books, visit: amishhorses.blogspot.com
Murray Pura has over twenty-four novels to his credit and, in addition, has published dozens of short stories, novellas,,and poems along with numerous books of non-fiction. He has worked with Baker, Barbour, Zondervan, Harvest House, MillerWords, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Harper One and Elk Lake Publishing. His fiction has won or been short listed for a number of literary prizes. Pura has lived in the UK, the Middle East, the USA and Canada. He now makes his home in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta.
Amos Wyse was born in the Midwest. Spending a great deal of his youth around good, hard-working farmers, those who lived near them and worked with them. When writing, he keeps those people and the life lessons they taught close by.
More from The Men of Amish
The Amish Menorah and Other Stories was born out of a happy meeting between Patrick E. Craig and Thomas Nye at an Amish writers and readers event put on by Connie Spradling Lynch in Shipshewana, Indiana in 2019. Most of these readers did not know that there were several men who wrote Amish fiction. So Patrick and Tom decided to do something about that. After the conference, invitations went out to Murray Pura, Willard Carpenter, Jerry Eicher and Amos Wyse. Deb Haggerty at Elk Lake Publishers signed on and The Amish Menorah came to be.
Patrick E. Craig
As always, the six of us male authors of Amish fiction, have the goal of writing interesting and inspiring stories about Amish life. Collectively, our purpose in putting together The Amish Menorah, was to offer a sampling of Amish novellas written by men. There are only a few of us guys and dozens of women writing Amish novels. This book is an opportunity for readers of Amish fiction to sample six of our writing styles in one setting.
The Biblical description of a Menorah is a seven-flame lampstand. We like to think of our six stories in the Amish Menorah as six flames, each shining a unique light on Amish life. Our prayer is that you, our readers, will become that seventh flame as you join us by reading The Amish Menorah.
To celebrate their tour, The Men of Amish Fiction are giving away the grand prize package of copy of The Amish Menorah and Other Stories, a copy of Samson and Amish Delilah (by Thomas Nye), and an Amish coloring book designed for Amish children and sold in Amish stores!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
Everyone believes Lady Evangeline is dead, so why not let them? Her survival depends on it.
After escaping from assassins and healing from her injuries, Evangeline Stanton finds refuge in a crumbling abbey. Her physical scars are nothing to the wounds left by the death of her daughter and abandonment of her husband. She spends most days disguised as Sister Margaret Mary, but when necessary, she dons the disguise of the recently deceased bandit, the Fox, to steal from the rich and help the starving children and widows who come for aid.
Lord Henry Stanton still grieves the death of his beloved wife, Evangeline. Raising their young daughter is now the most important role in his life, even though the child serves as a daily reminder of the love he and his wife once shared. He may never shed the weight of his guilt for not protecting Evangeline from the band of outlaws who killed her, as well as the lies sown by his sister-in-law, which he allowed to separate him from his wife just before her death.
When Henry’s ailing father-in-law sends an urgent request for help to manage his lands, he has no choice but to take his daughter with him to Castle Brighton. But the nun who comes to care for the sick man catches Henry’s notice from the first moment he catches sight of her. When the life of their precious daughter is threatened, can they overcome the lies and secrets of the past and join forces to save their daughter before it is too late?
The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline, #1, Secrets, by Jan Davis Warren is a thrilling medieval adventure that I found totally enthralling. Warren starts her novel with prickles of danger warning Evangeline Stanton that something is very wrong. The suspense never lets up. As one situation starts to resolve, another quickly presents itself. The pacing was very even and well-balanced. At no time did my attention wane. I did chuckle a few times as the twists and turns were fulfilled in pleasing, yet surprising ways. I found Warren to be a great, thorough writer. Many separate elements are introduced, yet Warren brings every single one to a satisfying conclusion. This is a rare talent.
It was heartbreaking to see Evangeline and Henry struggle so to overcome the past. I loved that they kept on trying, and forgiveness was part of Evangeline’s attitude towards others. She determines that a course is right spiritually, and commits to it verbally, and lets the feelings happen later. Recommended for those who dream of the world of lords and ladies, medieval castles, pirates, and Robin Hood-type lore. Also, for those who enjoy a suspenseful struggle between good and evil with spiritual lessons woven in.
I cannot wait to get ahold of the next book in this series! May it live up to its predecessor! I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are solely my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Magnificent!!
About the Author
Jan Davis Warren is a mother, grandmother, and a young-at-heart great-grandmother. Her wonderful husband passed away the same year she won the ACFW Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense. That win and many others are encouraging reminders that God wants her to continue writing even in the tough times. Learn more at http://www.janwarrenbooks.com.
More from Jan
Hello Dear Reader,
That you are reading this means you come from some hearty and courageous ancestors. Over thousands of years, they survived good times and bad, plagues, famines, wars, and all manner of tribulations. No matter how many different places around the globe your ancestors ventured, or where they lived and died, you are living proof they existed.
This thought never crossed my mind while writing and winning awards with contemporary romantic suspense, westerns, and even sci-fi. It wasn’t until Lady Evangeline stirred me with her story that I was lured into writing about the Middle Ages. I was even more surprised when I won RWA Faith Hope & Love chapter’s, Touched by Love historical category and the overall award with The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline. Thus began my next exciting adventure, for I had never written a medieval.
While doing research for the time period, I was humbled by the revelation that I’m alive because of ancestors further back than my genealogy has thus far revealed. They survived not only the medieval era, but many other difficult, even horrific times over the centuries before my birth. You and I are truly blessed by our ancestors’ perseverance. We are alive at such a time as this for a reason. Help us Lord to be the light so others might find You and through You life eternal.
And so is Beth’s cooking! It’s a good thing, too. After a lifetime of her family’s smothering embrace, a whole new world opens to her with the passing of her beloved grandmother.
Armed with an inheritance she never expected and orders on how to use it, Beth sets off for Merriweather Island and fulfillment of a lifetime of dreams.
Or so she hopes.
What she didn’t hope for was what most women would—a man who fills her thoughts at the most wonderfully unwelcome times. She doesn’t have time or space for a relationship, but how do you tell love to just go away?
Of course, starting over in a new place is never easy, especially as an outsider in a small community. Add to that a mayor who has her dander up and a woman bound to make her life miserable, is it any wonder that Beth begins to doubt God’s and Gram’s plans?
With her heart betraying her resolve and challenges to her faith, Beth finds it takes bravery she didn’t know she had to discover just how scrumptious independence can be.
This “Merriweather book” is the second in a new series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Island Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
“Gram always told me that family was a gift from God so that we would never feel alone in this world. If that is the case, I think God hates me.” Poor Beth Stevens, left wealthy by her beloved Gram’s passing, has been deeply marred by her family’s rejection over the years. Her grandmother was her one dependable light in her dark world. Having received the house on Merriweather Island, Beth moves south with plans for an island food truck. Scott Anderson, her childhood island friend, wants to help Beth heal and is also attracted to her. Beth feels so broken and the islanders seem to want her gone. Is a successful life on the island, let alone with Scott, really something Beth wants to pursue?
Scrumptious Independence, #2 Merriweather Island by Melissa Wardwell is a fun contemporary fiction novel. I can’t imagine being as crippled as Beth is by her family’s failure to show love. However, I very much could relate to the need for independence at that age. Wardwell imbues her love of pirates and coastal scenery into the story adding nice touches. I enjoyed the relationships of the book. It was neat to see how friendships from childhood carried over into adulthood, in Scott’s case.
Of course, one is always hoping Beth and Scott will be one of those childhood friendships developing into something more, but that is why you must read the book. Mallory is a good friend with a listening ear, who kindly holds Beth accountable to her faith. Overarching the whole possible island romance theme is Gram’s solid, Biblically-based wisdom. It comes seeping through both Beth’s and Scott’s memories at God-appointed times. Sage, gentle, yet straightforward, Gram is life’s buffer for both Scott and Beth. Gram is the person I most wanted to know on the island. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher, Celebrate Lit. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Great!
About the Author
Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband Jonathan, three children, a cat, and two pitbulls.
Besides writing, she enjoys reading, having coffee with friends, and spending quality time with her husband kayaking and fishing.
Melissa likes to joke about the voices in her head, but it is those voices have inspired her to write several romance novels such as “I Know the Plans” (a story based in her hometown of Owosso) and “Finding Hope in Savannah”. When she is not penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books on her blog, Back Porch Reads.
That was my prayer one evening in 2019 as I made my way to praise practice. I knew that writing was something God had called me to (because He never seems to call you to do something you enjoy) but the finances were just not there to publish another book. I felt lost in the uncertainty of the path moving forward and I needed a light. I had just shared all my concerns with my parents and left with my dad’s words ringing in my head. Are you writing to gain notoriety or are you writing for God?
The next morning, CelebrateLit had a post looking for submissions for a new and innovative series. Hope burst within me and I know I needed more information. I followed instructions and spoke with Sandy Barela and Chautona Havig. The more I was told, the more excited I became because I knew I needed to be part of this collection.
Ideas were hatched, characters began to talk, and a book proposal was sent. I continued to work on the development of characters and the mobile business knowing in my heart that God had given me this opportunity. I wouldn’t do things halfway. And when the confirmation email came, I was ready to share the beautiful story and characters that developed.
Beth is a food truck proprietor, so that means she spends most of her time cooking. In an effort to grow her recipes, I have been making videos of me cooking some of our family’s favorites as well as raiding my mom’s recipe box. The result is some amazing food to share.
Every book, pre-order card, and my YouTube channel has recipes on it. And so will this tour.
With it being summertime, our family doesn’t want those heavy meals so sometimes chips and sandwiches are all we need in the evenings. One favorite is my chicken salad.
Now, this recipe is easily substituted with other things like however, you like your chicken.
Melissa’s Chicken Salad
Feeds 4 (unless you have big eaters.)
2 cans of chicken (you can use cooked but this is quick and easy
1/2 cup of red grapes – halved
1/2 cup celery – diced
Make sure you rinse all of this well as you prep the salad
Dressing
1 1/2 cup of miracle whip (you can use mayo)
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp of sugar
Mix everything together and serve on your favorite bread option or on a bed of lettuce. I like mine in a pita pocket or on lettuce. This time it was with a pita pocket with a side of lightly salted chips and a pickle.
Now, just a little side note, you can add what ever veggie or fruit you like. Apples and cucumbers would be a great addition as well. So, don’t feel like you have to do things exactly like I do. Make it your own.
When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.
Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.
In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.
My Impressions
The Edge of Belonging is such a spellbinding, dual-time novel from Amanda Cox. I foresee Edge of Belonging winning an award for debut novels. For myself, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the page. Heart-rending themes such as foster homes, homelessness, human trafficking, depression, and PTSD are dealt with from both the sufferer’s and a loving helper’s POV. The raw loneliness hurt, and need that several of the characters experience is portrayed so poignantly. It seems each character in the earlier story (Harvey, Pearl, Thom, and Miriam) feels they are on the edge of belonging to some degree.
In the later story, Ivy is the focal point who feels like she doesn’t quite belong, but her best friend Reese has often struggled with those same sentiments. I was thrilled to see how the book’s title applied to so many. I also loved seeing the hope and mercy that certain characters, especially Pearl and Reese, generously dole out to others. Again, so many of Ms. Cox’s characters show significant growth by the end of the story. While it is easy to see early on where the stories will connect, there remains the fascination of just how Ms. Cox is going to work it all out.
I usually like to pick a favorite character, but they were all faves. I love Reese for his steadiness and undying care. Harvey, for the way he supersedes his own fears to love another. And Pearl, for her radar to find and genuinely love lost souls. Get your own copy of this must-read debut! I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Revell Reads via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and no positive review was required.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Magnificent!
Amanda Cox is a blogger and a curriculum developer for a national nonprofit youth leadership organization, but her first love is communicating through story. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and theology and a master’s degree in professional counseling. Her studies and her interactions with hurting families over a decade have allowed her to create multidimensional characters that connect emotionally with readers.
It’s a match made in heaven…as long as they don’t fall in love!
The ranch Nolan Key has spent decades working for, even lost a leg for, is now his—or at least it should be. But an absurd clause in his father’s will means he’s in danger of losing the place to his lazy, undeserving cousin. Nolan finds himself scrambling to save his home—by proposing marriage to the town laundress.
Corinne Stillwater’s hands have betrayed her. Numb from hours of doing the same work over and over, her hands will only heal, according to the town doctor, if she gives up the laundry and marries. But she’s been stung repeatedly by love before, so that is one remedy she can’t swallow.
When Nolan offers Corinne a marriage in name only, how can she refuse? Such a partnership could give them the security they seek, but what if the ranch isn’t as secure as they believe, and their lives—and dreams—aren’t quite as compatible as they thought?
Pretending to Wed is the second book in the Frontier Vows Series by award-winning Christian romance author Melissa Jagears. If you like marriage-of-convenience stories that deal with the nitty-gritty of making a relationship work, you’ll love this authentic romance set in a time gone by that tackles issues still relevant for today.
Travel back to a hot summer in 1884 in Wyoming Territory. Nolan Key is desperate, as the ranch he stood to inherit from his father will only pass to him if he marries within 3 months. Otherwise, his unbearable cousin Matt, whom his father always seemed to prefer over his own son, will own the spread.
Pretending to Wed is my first Melissa Jagears novel, but I will be on the lookout for more. I enjoyed the marriage of convenience trope. I liked how some of Nolan’s attitudes were due to his pain, but was amazed at the lengths to which he would go, to be self-sufficient. I found it amazing to think that there were prosthetic limbs to be had way back then. Corrine Stillwater, the town laundress, was as stubbornly self- sufficient as Nolan. She also lived with constant pain and was just as determined not to marry as Nolan. I was happy to see the apparent growth in Uncle Matthias and the softening of some attitudes. Matt was so irritating and arrogant. He seemed to have few redeeming qualities. While Matt may have been two-dimensional, it made for a lighter read.
One thing that did frustrate me, was the unwillingness of either Nolan or Corrine to be open about their feelings. While part of a series, Pretending to Wed can stand alone well. Recommended for those who like light historical romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Great!
About the Author
Award winning author, Melissa Jagears, is a homeschooling mom who writes Christian Historical Romance into the wee hours of the night. She lives in Kansas with her husband and three children. Her ebook novella, Love by the Letter, is her ACFW Carol Award winning novella and free to try. You can learn more about her, her books, and where she hangs out online at www.melissajagears.com
More from Melissa
The Elusive Electrical Spark to Awaken Frankenstein’s Monster
The plot of Pretending to Wed just wasn’t coming together for me. I had the romantic dilemma, but I didn’t love the characters. They were boring. And if I’m going to write a book, a.k.a. read it a bazillion times, I have to really want to read the book myself. I decided to take a break from the weeks of struggle and read. I was recommended a book because of the author’s great voice (I can’t recommend it because it’s not a clean novel), but I loved the fact that the heroine was a scientific illustrator. I wondered if I could give my heroine a scientific hobby and came up with inventing. That single character tidbit was the jolt that awakened Frankenstein’s Monster. She came alive! The research into what she could have patented at the time led my imagination to the egg hatching romance scene in the middle of the story and I was hooked! I couldn’t wait to read my book that didn’t yet exist.
To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away the grand prize package of a Gift Certificate for the winner’s Choice of Book (up to 16.99 plus S&H) from Melissa’s Local Christian Bookstore, Faith & Life Bookstore, and a signed copy of Pretending to Wed!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback and rediscovers her passions in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread.
During the Great Depression, Addie Cowherd dreams of being a novelist and offering readers the escape that books gave her during her tragic childhood. When her adoptive father loses his job, she is forced to leave college and take the only employment she can find–delivering books on horseback to poor coal mining families in the hills of Kentucky.
The small community of Boone’s Hollow is suspicious of outsiders and steeped in superstitions that leave Addie feeling rejected and indignant. Although she finds an unexpected friend in an elderly outcast, the other horseback librarians scorn her determination to befriend Nanny Fay.
Emmett Tharp grew up in the tiny mountain hamlet where most men either work in the coal mine or run moonshine. He’s the first in the community to earn a college degree, and he has big dreams, but witnesses the Depression robbing many young men of their future.
Then someone sets out to sabotage the library program, going so far as to destroy Addie’s novel in progress. Will the saboteur chase Addie and the other librarians away, or will knowledge emerge victorious over prejudice? Is Emmett the local ally that Addie needs–and might their friendship lead to something more?
Inspired by the real WPA program that sent librarians on horseback to deliver books to hill families in Kentucky, Kim Vogel Sawyer immersed herself in Appalachian history to tell this captivating story.
My Impressions
A while back, some polls were taken of Christian fiction readers. Many said their favorite fiction book of all time was Catherine Marshall’s Christy. Now we are blessed with several Christy-like books on the market. Certainly, the Appalachia of times gone by has a nostalgic pull for readers. Kim Vogel Sawyer’s depiction of the Kentucky hills and her proud, but superstitious people will sate some of the longings to know these people who lived by their own code of honor. It wasn’t enough to live in the hills, one needed to be born and bred in the hills, know the neighbors from birth, and adhere to the superstitions.
In 1936, Addie Cowherd and Emmett Tharp, near strangers, and separate of each other, leave college in Lexington, KY, and attempt to make their respective homes in Boone’s Hollow (pronounced ”Holler” by the mountain folk). Emmett is rejected because of his outside education; Addie, for being a total stranger to an area where being a stranger ”like to as not” can get you shot on sight. Sawyer shows us throughout the story what life in the mountains could be like. Superstitions run high, distrust of strangers is learned early, family feuds are fed for generations, and anyone stepping off the mountain is seen as a traitor. Stills hide in the trees, feeding addiction, which then, in turn, feeds abuse, yet neighbors refuse to break the ”code of honor.”
I couldn’t believe that at the end of the story, Ms. Sawyer had me loving the person she had shown unlovable. That’s talent! And those are characters- who can forgive that mightily! So much to learn, more than even reading, from the people of ”Boone Holler.” My two favorite characters (who like to be too shy to take a bow) would be Emmett’s mother, Damaris, and Nanny Fay. They just might could be the backbone of the mountain. I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I also bought my own copy, to be sure I didn’t miss it. All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required. Notable Quotables: “…yawning during a sermon is most certainly a sin.” “Just ’cause nobody else knows you done somethin’ extra special don’t mean it ain’t special.” ”She’d cracked that mirror herself so her soul could escape if the mirror captured it, but she didn’t want to take no chances by looking at herself too long.”
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Magnificent!
About the Author
Award-winning, bestselling author Kim Vogel Sawyer told her kindergarten teacher that someday people would check out her book in the library. The little-girl dream came true in 2006 with the release of Waiting for Summer’s Return. Kim’s titles now exceed 1.5 million copies and are available in six different languages. A former elementary school teacher, she now enjoys a full-time writing and speaking ministry. Kim’s passion lies in writing stories that point the reader to a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. When Kim isn’t writing, you’ll find her traveling with her retired military hubby, spoiling her granddarlings, petting the cats, quilting, or–as time allows–participating in community theater. You can learn more about Kim’s writing and speaking ministries at her website, KimVogelSawyer.com.
Return to the turbulence of ancient Canaan in Book Three of The Stones of Gilgal. Even the raging floods of the Jordan could not stop the Israelites from crossing the river and setting up camp near Jericho. Canaanite kings and kingdoms—even the Anakim giants—are in turmoil. Former enemies jostle for power in new alliances, united only in their determination to destroy the Israelite invaders.
When the massive fortifications of Jericho collapse, Salmon rushes into the ruins to save Rahab, the beautiful harlot who had rescued him and his fellow spy from certain death. But saving her from her own city is not so easy. And that is only the beginning of the trouble, treachery and devastating ruins they and their friends face as they settle into their new life in the Promised Land.
CL Smith’s Trouble in the Ruins, # 3 Stones of Gilgal, gripped my heart with terror and wonder. Terror of the Anakim in the land. I wondered as Smith describes the Anakim and their devotion to Baal if I would have been faithful to follow Joshua and Caleb’s urging to conquer the Promised Land (although that actually occurred in a previous book, we see so much of the Anakim, I can understand the Israelites’ fear. If only they could KNOW that their God is greater…) Wonder at the greatness of God. “Night after night, the stars declared Yahweh’s message. Israel did not face evil alone. God would provide a deliverer. It was the message of Passover.” Evil abounds, whether in Jericho, or in the Anakim, or the hearts of man, not fully committed to God. We travel with Israel and observe the wondrous defeat of Jericho, only to see the treachery that causes the defeat at Ai. I love how each character is presented as realistically, struggling, and sometimes failing, in their walk with Yahweh. Yet we see several attaining redemption, while others reject Yahweh and rail against Him. I liked how even the “good” characters like Caleb’s daughter Acsah and her friend Abihail find they need forgiveness and cleansing. Sometimes those who think themselves most righteous have to re-examine God’s Word for guidance on how to treat others.
My heart yearned in agreement with statements about the young people: “Passover is not their story, but it must become so. It is the birth story of our people. I must tell it and retell it. Make it theirs. Tell it every year until I die—my parting gift to future generations.” So many touching quotes. So many competing storylines, yet they work. Especially if you have read the first two books, which I had not, or are familiar with the Biblical Exodus. I give Ms. Smith points for putting the map in front (where I believe all maps belong) and the lengthy character list in back, where one can refer to it, once you have enough knowledge to hang your hat on. Otherwise, I find a list of names at the front off-putting. Add footnotes to Biblical allusions and references, great! At times the prose is not only compelling, but it is also melodic. This is a book that was hard to put down, as I followed each character and grew to love them. Of course, with so many characters getting their turn in the sun, many did not see the ending I was hoping for. Fortunately, we are promised two or three more books to bring this Israelite saga to a satisfying conclusion. I went and bought the first two stories. I would have bought the sequels if they were available. If you like exciting Biblical fiction, give Trouble in the Ruins a try. Notable Quotables:
“…we must not let the living force of the story be lost.”
“God transforms tears into jewels. He has a new plan for me than the life I imagined. A higher place, and it will be good.”
“Welcome to a place where identity and dignity are found in covenant with Yahweh.”
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. (I also bought my own copy.) All opinions are my own, and no positive review was required.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Magnificent
About the Author
C.L. SMITH, former missionary, retired junior high English/history teacher, has captivated audiences around the world for years with the timeless thrill of biblical tales. Now her six-part Stones of Gilgal saga brings the mayhem and miracles of the book Joshua to life. Well researched and beautifully written, the author weaves her lifetime love of learning and people into the fabric of the biblical text, creating a tapestry of rich scenes and colorful characters the reader will not soon forget.
The Stones of Gilgal biblical novels follow the epic adventures of a group of ordinary young Israelites. As they battle evil together, they sink their roots deeper and deeper into the bedrock of God’s Truth and Love, slowly growing from a stand of saplings to a forest of giants.
Two of the seven young characters in my series have to deal with a lot of Trouble in the Ruins in this book. Lots of trouble. Lots of ruins.
Rahab the Harlot barely escapes the ruins of Jericho, but the ruins of her former life threaten to keep her ever an alien among the people of Yahweh.
Abihail is Acsah’s best friend from childhood, but she is also a fictionalized daughter-in-law of the biblical Achan. Her life is slammed with heart-rending trouble and ruin as that horrific Old Testament drama unfolds.
The Title: Trouble in the Ruins
The inspiration for this title comes from a couple of “plays on words” in Hebrew.
Trouble: The name Achan in Hebrew sounds very similar to the word Achor meaning trouble. The story of the biblical character Achan is forever tied to the word trouble at the end of Joshua 7 when the valley where he was stoned and buried under a “monument” of rocks received the name the Valley of Achor.
Ruins: Achan’s sin led to defeat at a little fortress known as Ai which means ruin. Some scholars suggest that the fortress was built on or near the ruins of a city destroyed in an earlier time. Following the glory of the crossing of the Jordan and the crumbling walls of Jericho—the Hebrew mind would find great dramatic irony in Israel being defeated by a “ruin.” The story jolts us out of complacency, underscoring the life and death consequences of obedience versus breaking covenant with God.
Delany Fleet, a widowed former indentured servant living in the colonial port of Norfolk, Virginia, dreams of having an estate of her own where she will never have to compromise her freedom.
When the only man she ever loved shows up with a load of smuggled firearms, Delany is forced to leave her home and her livelihood to protect her family and property from Lord Dunmore’s raids and the conniving plots of a man who claims to be her friend.
Now, with her destiny forever altered, Delany must find a new way to happiness. Can reconnecting with her husband’s family and a former love be the path that God has for her?
Historical romance. Colonial Virginia, 1775. A young girl falls into an unlikely crush with a rich landowner’s son, only to meet him years later under different circumstances. My reading juices are salivating over such a description of The Shopkeeper’s Widow by Izzy James. This book’s rating was a conundrum for me, as I sorted out what I liked (a lot) and what I think would like to see different (sometime it would be fun to have an author write a story and have different people finish it, just to see the different opinions.) I would like to highlight that these wishes, especially for a different take, are MY OPINION. Delaney Button Fleet, widowed owner of a toy shop in Norfolk, becomes an outspoken advocate of abolition, though it may not have been referred to as such in 1775. Delaney chooses to align with the colonists when the British loot a local print shop. First wish: I wished the book would have ended without the epilogue. I expected some rewarding tidbit to be uncovered but felt it was too abrupt. Secondly, when I finished the book, I was left with a few loose ends, which I didn’t know how to secure.
For happy points, I did like that we were shown how much Delany enjoyed her nieces and nephews. A book always gains my interest when children are involved in a loving, wholesome way. I did appreciate how Ms. James shows that brothers can be very different and have very disparate values. Tom Fleet is the antithesis of his brother, Sam. Also, George and Freewill were opposites. One can only assume that children raised in the same home by the same parents still can make very different life-defining choices. The novel is a little preachy in spots. I would prefer a more naturally flowing message, but I do agree it is life’s most important message. I like romance but got a little impatient with Delany in her unwillingness to give Field Archer room to grow. However, Ms. James was on it. I loved that Sarah reminded Delany, “you have to allow for growth to happen at its own pace.” So, the heroine is flawed. Well and good, because so was the hero.
Now, with the list of pros and cons presented against each other, I gladly rate this historical novel a solid four stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are solely my own and no positive review was required.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Great!
About the Author
Izzy James grew up surrounded by history and story in coastal Virginia. She still lives there with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books.
More from Izzy
Hello! My name is Izzy James. My new book is The Shopkeeper’s Widow. It’s about freedom and second chances. I learned quite a bit of history while researching and writing this book. Did you know that the first showers began to appear in the early 1760’s? I gave Delany one of them in Shopkeeper’s just for fun. It is not likely she would have had a shower at that time, but it is fiction and as such I thought it would be a fun detail to add. We do know that some people did rig up for themselves a semblance of a daily shower by using a bucket full of water suspended above them.
Mary Daley has been the sheriff of Tipton County for more than two decades, but someone wants her job. When it seems circumstances can’t get more complicated, a murder happens on her watch. Had she been the intended victim?
Deputy Chief Lyle Griffin only wants Mary to be happy, but when he asks her if she’d consider retiring, it sets off a string of events and emotions that muddy their friendship.
Nancy Daley-Malone can’t believe anyone would run for sheriff against her mom. She is onboard to help run the best campaign Tipton County has ever seen until the sheriff’s opponent is murdered and Nancy’s husband joins the race. On top of that, it appears someone is out to kill her mother as well.
Can Nancy, along with the sheriff’s department, find the murderer before it’s too late? Will Lyle and Mary be able to admit their feelings for one another or will the status quo remain?
My Impressions
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” I first loved The Sleuth’s Surprise, #4 The Librarian Sleuth, because it is a Christian cozy. No bad words, no bad scenes, but a small town with a murder and an amateur sleuth. While I vaguely remembered the librarian, Nancy, who tries to solve the mystery (I’d only read one other book in the series), it was obvious that this book could stand on its own merits. Yay.
The main character, Mary, is a mature woman, into her fifties. She is quite capable and respected in her job AND she has a romance waiting to happen IF she and a friend can get past the “friend” point. How often main characters are only in their twenties or thirties at best! Thank you, Ms. Johnson.
The competition that Kimberly Rose Johnson sets up for Nancy’s heart. How can Nancy ever decide whom to support between the two people she loves most. Just for free, the main characters of the other book I read were also involved and their relationship grew, as well. Lighter than my most recent read, The Sleuth’s Surprise was a timely, delicious surprise for a hungry bookworm. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This in no way affects my opinions, which are solely my own.
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Magnificent!
About the Author
Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.
Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.
