Stitches in Time - A Book Review

When it comes to Amish fiction Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of my favorite authors. I have not read a book of hers that I have not loved. The current series, The Deacon's Family is one of the best yet!

In Stitches in Time, book two of the series, we get to revisit some of the well loved characters from the first book. Even though this story focuses more on the relationship between Mollie and Sam, we also get a continuation of the story of Luke and Izzy which I really loved. You wouldn't necessarily have to read the first book in the series to enjoy this novel, but I would definitely recommend it.

More about the book:

Detachment had worked well as a life strategy for horse trainer Sam Schrock. Until he met Mollie Graber..

New to Stoney Ridge, schoolteacher Mollie has come to town for a fresh start. Aware of how fleeting and fragile life is, she wants to live it boldly and bravely. When Luke, new to his role as deacon, asks the church to take in foster girls from a group home, she's the first to raise her hand. The power of love, she believes, can pick up the dropped stitches in a child's heart and knit them back together.

Mollie envisions sleepovers and pillow fights. What the eleven year old twins bring to her home is anything but. Visits from the sheriff at midnight. Phone calls from the school truancy officer and the most humiliating moment of all:  the girls accuse Mollie of drug addiction.

There's only one thing that breaks through the girls hard shell... An interest in horses. Reluctantly, Sam gets drawn into Mollie's chaotic life. What he didn't expect was for love to knit together the dropped stitches of his own heart... Just in time.

I highly recommend this book for Christian fiction fans. It's such a heartwarming story that you are sure to love!

Thank you to Revell Reads for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Seconds To Live - A Book Review

Do you know what I love?  I love to pick up a book and from the very first page be so captivated that I don't want to put it down.  That is exactly what happened with Seconds to Live.   From page one I was hooked.  It begins at a fast pace and keeps up to the very last page.  I'm also excited that this is a "new to me" author.  It was the first book I have read by Susan Sleeman and I will definitely be checking into her other books.  In fact, Seconds To Live is the first of a series called Homeland Heroes and I cant wait for the next book!


When Cybercriminals hack into the US Marshals' Witness Protection database and auction off witnesses' personal details to the highest bidders the RED Team led by FBI Agent Sean Nichols begins a high-stake chase to find the hacker, but before he cn even get started, the first witness is targeted and barely escapes with her life.  Sean believes Phantom, an obsessed hacker who previously outwitted the top minds in the field, is behind the attack, and Sean needs this witness's help, as she's the person who has come closes to discovering Phantom's identity.

Trouble is, she's a witness under the care of US Marshal Taylor Mills, and Sean is reluctant to work with the captivating marshal who knows his deepest secrets.  But Phantom claims he knows where the witness is hiding and will kill her, so to stop the hacker, Sean and Taylor must work through their personal pain and learn to trust each other....but the seconds are ticking down before someone dies.

If you are a fan of Christian Suspense books I would highly recommend this one.  It has well developed characters, fast paced suspense and a little romance.  Trust me, you won't want to put it down!

***Thanks to Bethany House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

One More River to Cross - A Book Review

I really thought One More River to Cross by Jane Kirkpatrick was going to be a story that I loved.  It had all the makings of the type of book I love.  I'm a huge fan of historical fiction and wagon trains are always a favorite of mine, especially when they are traveling from my home state of Missouri.  I'm also a fan of the author, but this book didn't make the cut for me.

I tried.  I really tried to like this book.  I struggled from page one. It lacked that instant pull, but sometimes you can push through and still get into the story.  There were too many characters to focus on and the lack of a true main character to connect with.  The men were degrading to their woman and there was a lot of feminism in the book which seemed out of place to me.  

What I thought would be a promising book soon became a big dud for me.  Still a fan of Jane Kirkpatrick, but just not this book.

In 1844, two years before the Donner Party the Stephens-Murphy-Townsend company leaves Missouri to be the first wagons into California through the Sierra Nevada.  They enjoy a safe journey until October, when a fierce mountain snowstorm forces difficult decisions.

The party separates in three directions.  Some go overland around Lake Tahoe.  Others stay to guard the heaviest wagons.  The rest of the party, including eight woman and seventeen children, huddle in the makeshift cabin at the headwaters of the Yuba River awaiting rescue.  The months ahead will be long and at times terrifying.  But with friendship, family, and enough courage to overcome their fear, these intrepid pioneers will discover what truly matters in times of trial.

***Thanks to Revell Reads for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Aiming For Love - A Book Review

I have been a fan of Mary Connealy's books for years, but Aiming For Love is definitely my favorite to date! 

Jo and her two sisters have been raised in isolation in the mountains of Colorado.  They were raised by their grandparents and were taught to fear people and that going to town would bring sickness and possibly deat
h.  With both of their grandparents gone the girls have been living alone and are extremely self sufficient.  They love each other fiercely and have no need or desire for the outside world.  When Dave comes to the mountains in search for pasture for his cows, he encounters Jo.  Dave is fascinated by the capabilities of these women and how they have survived on their own and Jo is fascinated by the new things she is seeing and learning. When Dave's family arrives in the mountains and need shelter, Jo and her sister Ilsa are willing to help, but Ursula remains fearful of these new people.  When sickness soon takes over it seems that grandma was right with what she told them, but there are other things, things that the sisters are now questioning...could it be that the life the were living was not all they thought it to be.  Were there grandparents keeping secrets?

This book was so entertaining!  It had me laughing out loud on several occasions and it had a sorta "Tarzan and Jane" feel with the roles reversed.  I'm pretty sure I can figure out who the next two sisters will be paired with in the upcoming books and I can't wait to see if I am right.  If the other books are as great as the first, this will for sure be a favorite series of mine!  Now if the second one would release already..

More Than Words Can Say - A Book Review

Sometimes after reading a really good book I have a hard time getting into the next one I pick up.  I had just finished reading a book that was amazingly good, so when I picked up More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer I was not sure how easily I would "get in" to the story.

How wrong I was.  This was such a delightful book!  I have been reading a lot of suspense novels lately and this was a refreshing change.  When a book can bring out real emotion from me, I know I have found a favorite and this one had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.  It was just a fun book to read.

It's actually the second book in the Patchwork Family series.  I would definitely say that it works well as a stand alone book, because I have not read the first book in the series.  I will soon be remedying that though.  I loved it so much that I want to read more about the family.  I'll be ordering More Than Meets the Eye very soon!

Abigail needs a mans name on her bakery's deed or she will be out of business due to an outdated town ordinance.  She decides her best solution would be a marriage of convenience and proposes to Zacharias.  She presents a contract and surprisingly he agrees, but not without a few stipulations of his own.  Zacharias is so much more than what she bargained for.  She did not expect such a compassionate, hard working and caring man.  It's not long before feeling start developing and their marriage of convenience is becoming more and more like a real marriage.  Everything should be going smooth, but it seems as if someone is out to destroy Abigail and her business. Plus, Abigail's sister has some secrets of her own.

Zach and Abby's love is so pure and innocent and it was so enjoyable to read and see it unfold.

***Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book.  I was not required to review and all opinions are my own.

Fire Storm - A Book Review

Wow! Let me just say that again.  WOW!

After reading the first book, Mind Games, in the Kaely Quinn Profiler series I figured it would be hard to compete with such an amazing book.  But scooch over Mind Games,  I need to make room on my favorite's shelf for Fire Storm right beside ya!

First of all, you need to read them both.  So don't just pick up Fire Storm and start reading.  It would probably work all right as a stand alone book, but trust me, you do not want that.  You should start from the beginning so you can fully get to know Kaely Quinn.  She's such a deep character and there's some back history that you don't want to miss.

In Fire Storm Kaely heads to see her mom who's health is failing fast.  While there she finds herself on the case of a serial arsonist.  When her mother's house burns, Kaely realizes that the arsonist has her in his sights.  Can she figure out who it is before it is too late and will it cost her the relationships that she has been trying to salvage?

You kind of know as you're reading the story how it's going to turn out.  At least the "who done it" was pretty clear for me, but there were so many twists and turns and fast pace suspense that had me on edge until the very end.  This is the perfect example of the kind of book I love.  I didn't want to put it down and a matter of fact, I didn't.  An all nighter was pulled just so I could finish.

I cannot wait until the third book in this series is released.  There's no doubt in my mind that it will be as excellent as the first two!

***Thank you to Bethany House for providing me a copy of this book.  I was not required to give a review and all opinions stated are my own.

The Refuge

The Refuge by Ann H. Gabhart grabbed my attention and held it from the very first page to the very last.

With the threat of a cholera epidemic at their heels, Darcie and Walter Goodwin joining the Shakers, whose villages seem immune to the disease.  It's meant to be temporary, but when Walter is killed in a riverboat accident, destitute Darcie has little choice but to stay with the Shakers.  To complicate matters, she is expecting a baby conceived before she and her husband came to the Shaker village.  Marital relationships are considered sinful in this celibate community, putting Darcie in a unique and lonely position.  Can the arrival of widower Flynn Keller and his headstrong Daughter offer Darcie the hope of happiness.

This book shed a lot of light on the Shaker religion for me. I was not very familiar with their beliefs before reading this and I have to say I was somewhat surprised, especially with their belief in celibacy.  So many of their beliefs are not scriptural but yet in other ways they show such love and are so willing to help others. 

I loved the character of Darcie and my heart just broke for her.  I couldn't imagine being left alone in a community that you don't embrace the beliefs of, especially after finding out your with child, something that you know goes against the rules.  It was engaging to see how she started her life over and how the community continued to help her.

If you have never read one of Ann H. Gabhart's books this would be a great one to start with.  Probably my favorite to date!

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Heart Of A King

I always "proceed with caution" when reading biblical fiction.  I'm pretty particular about this genre and I don't want to read anything that is going to veer to far from God's truth.   That is something I never have to worry about with Jill Eileen Smith.  Her biblical fiction books always stay as close to the Bible as possible in a fiction story.

If I read biblical fiction and it draws me deeper into God's word by giving me a desire to reread and study out an individual or a story, I feel like it is time well spent.  This book did just that for me.  I had a desire to reread from the Bible Solomon's story.  The book made me think about things that I had never considered before and I love that.

I can't recommend this book enough.  It is well written, well developed characters and the story line is never dull.  I must also say that the cover is beautiful!

Get swept away by a story of love, loss, and longing

King Solomon could, and did, have anything he wanted, including many women from many lands.  But for all of his wealth and wisdom, did he or the women he loved ever find what they were searching for?

In this engrossing novel, find yourself whisked away to ancient Israel, where you'll meed four remarkable women:  Naamah the desert princess, Abishag the shepherdess, Siti the daughter of a pharaoh, and Nicaula the queen of Sheba.  As you experience the world of Solomon through his eyes and theirs, you'll grapple with whether this king's stored wisdom ultimately benefited him and those he loved...or betrayed them.

***Thanks to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

On a Summer Tide

I always know that when I pick up a book by Suzanne Woods Fisher that I am going to enjoy it.  I own many of her books and I am thrilled to add On A Summer Tide to my collection.  This book is the first book in the Three Sister's Island.

Sometimes love hurts-and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement.  "Moving on" is Cam's mantra, but there's a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on and one who just keeps on moving.

Cam's full throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine.  Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island.  A dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters.  Certain dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island.  To Cam's surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, and so do the locals.  One in particular:  Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher, who harbors more than a few surprises.

This book was just an enjoyable read.  I was able to relate to a couple of the characters and there were a few places that I found myself laughing out loud and a few that had me holding back tears.  It is a story of hope and restoration.  I can't wait to read more about these sisters in the following books in this series.


***Thank you to Revell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Baggage Handler

Occasionally I step away from my normal genres and try something new.  I was a little reluctant about this book, but glad I chose it in the long run. 

Everyone carries baggage.  Some of us don't like to admit it or maybe we don't even realize how much it is weighing us down, but it's there and the sooner we get rid of it the happier we will be.  The Baggage Handler tell the story of three people, and all three are so easy to relate to. I don't know why it's so hard to give God our baggage, but it is.  For some reason we hold on to things that we were never meant to carry. 

This book gives you so much to think about and it's one of those books that you will still be thinking about long after you lay it down.

When three people take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, their lives change forever. 

A hothead businessman coming to the city for a showdown meeting to save his job.

A mother of three hoping to survive the days at her sister's house before her niece’s wedding.

And a young artist pursuing his father’s dream so he can keep his own alive.

When David, Gillian, and Michael each take the wrong suitcase from baggage claim, the airline directs them to retrieve their bags at a mysterious facility in a deserted part of the city. There they meet the enigmatic Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than what they have packed, and carrying it with them is slowing them down in ways they can’t imagine. And they must deal with it before they can leave.

In this modern-day parable about the burdens that weigh us down, David Rawlings issues an inspiring invitation to lighten the load.

***Thank you to booklookbloggers.com for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.