"Playing By Heart" Review

After many years of hard work, Lula Bowman has finally landed a collegiate teaching position and a prestigious scholarship in mathematics. As a woman, neither of those were easy to come by, but Lula has proven herself to be worthy of such an endeavor.

But when she receives a frantic phone call from her sister, Lula reluctantly returns to her hometown of Dunn, Oklahoma.

Giving up her scholarship and her teaching position at the university, she agrees to the only position she can find – high school music teacher and girls’ basketball coach. The music side of things Lula can handle. She has a talent for playing the piano, and she had a real passion for music when she was younger. But she knows nothing about basketball and has to turn to the boys’ coach for help.

Chet Vaughn currently teaches math at the high school as well as serves as coach for the boys’ basketball team. With his brother away fighting in the Great War, Chet is left to care for their widowed mother. The new music teacher should have been the last person to turn his head. After all, he had fended off every other eligible girl trying to get his attention in the last few years. But something about Lula catches Chet off guard, and he doesn’t really know what to expect.

As Chet and Lula spend more and more time together, they each try to combat their growing feelings. God is working in the hearts of both of them, and He might just be leading them in a direction hey never would have expected.

Set during World War One in a small Oklahoma town, Playing By Heart is a novel filled with warmth, hope, and faith in a God who gives us the desires of our hearts – even if those desires were not what we thought they would be.

I was really excited to pick up this book and read it since I have enjoyed several of Anne Mateer’s novels in the past. I was also excited about reading this book because the book I read previous to this one was so depressing and so terrible (not by Anne Mateer and not Christian fiction) I couldn’t even finish it. I was craving something nice and fun and uplifting to drown out the awfulness that had saturated my brain. (The awful book was not a review book, and it’s not even worth mentioning the title!).

So it was with great joy that I dove right into Playing By Heart, and it met almost all of my expectations.

One of my favorite things about the book was how well I got to know the characters of Lula and Chet. The novel alternates between the viewpoints of the two, and each is written in first person. At first I thought this might be a bit awkward, but it actually wasn’t, and it helped me to really identify with the main characters well. I guess I identified with Lula the most since she had a passion for music – piano specifically – as well as an interest in academics. Her struggle to achieve what the world sees as success (college, math) rather than allowing her identity to be rooted in Christ was something that hit close to home for me. Lula and Chet were both intelligent characters that were strong without being overbearing.

I also thought the secondary characters were fleshed out very well in this novel. The boys and girls on the basketball teams were so fun, and the characters of Lula’s sister and Chet’s mother were so real. The other characters in the book really gave it a balance that was appropriate and refreshing.

The setting in this book was unique, which kept the plotlines from being completely cliché. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of a book set during World War One that focused mainly on a love interest that revolved around high school basketball. I’m a huge sports fan and this part of the story really sold the plotlines overall for me.

While the plot was interesting – mostly because of the secondary characters and the basketball angle – there were things about the romantic plotline that were somewhat disappointing. There were some external factors and situations that kept Lula and Chet from discovering/declaring their interest in each other too early in the book, but most of what kept them apart was the much-used transgression of just not sitting down and talking to each other like adults. Their conversations were sometimes stilted and just downright frustrating.

Even though the romantic angle wasn’t quite to my liking, the rest of the book was. The message of faith was not extremely deep, but it was clear and woven throughout the novel and into the hearts and lives of the people in this small Oklahoma town.

And in case you're wondering, Playing By Heart was just the thing I needed to rid my mind of that previous atrocity of a book!


I will give Playing By Heart … 4 BookWorms.

Playing By Heart
by Anne Mateer
Bethany House Publishers
Publication date: September 16, 2014
320 pages






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"Amish Cooks Across America" Review

The popular columnist and cookbook author The Amish Cook explores the traditions of Amish settlements across America, with more than 100 new recipes from Amish and Mennonite communities, as well as profiles of the communities themselves.

In Amish Cooks Across America: Recipes and Traditions from Maine to Montana, the celebrated columnist and cookbook author known as The Amish Cook explores why one Amish community in the Northeast makes Shoofly Pie while another settlement in the South favors Muscadine Pie.
   
Divided into chapters highlighting Amish groups in the North, South, East, West, and Midwest, with side trips to Canada and Central America, this recipe book doubles as a travelogue, sampling the cultural and culinary differences among Amish and Mennonite communities across the nation.
   
The Amish are the original locavores. In this collection of fascinating recipes, you'll find favorites from middle America, such as Scalloped Corn, alongside coastal specialties such as Grilled Lime Fish Fillets and Avocado Egg Scramble, as well as Western staples such as Elk Stew and Huckleberry Pancakes, and Southern classics such as Sweet Potato Surprise Cake.
     
This more-than-a-cookbook is filled with full-color photographs of food and the places visited, along with profiles that explore the origins and cooking traditions of each community. This is a book like no other--a delicious melting pot and a fascinating armchair tour of Amish America.


Amish Cooks Across America
Lovina Eicher & Kevin Williams
Andrews McMeel Publishing
Publication date: May 28, 2013
192 pages


My Take:

I love cookbooks.  And I love home-style food.

So I really enjoyed this Amish cookbook. Not only does it have good recipes but it has neat photographs and interesting insights into the places where these recipes were produced.

Most of the recipes in this cookbook were simple to prepare and used easy-to-find ingredients. There were a few that were not to our liking - we don't have elk where we live, and I'm not sure I would want to eat it even if we did - but most of the recipes I would try.

Some of my favorites were the Potato Chowder, the Homemade Baking Mix, and the Cheesy Enchiladas. My husband really liked the Broccoli Salad and the Apple Cake.

For some tasty recipes and a good look into the lives of the Amish in America, this might be one cookbook to pick up.






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Andrews McMeel Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Pelican Bride" Blog Tour

Genevieve Gaillain and her sister are headed to the New World on the journey of their lives. To escape religious persecution in France, the sisters find themselves on board the Pelican to become wives to the French Canadian men who are settling in the colony of Louisiana.

Tristan Lanier just wants to be able to live peacefully and work his land. Even though he is French Canadian, he is currently at odds with the French leaders in the Louisiana area due to his stance on the native people and his opinions on where the French people should be settling.

When Genevieve and the other Pelican Brides arrive on the shores of Louisiana, they are shocked at what they discover. The men in the colony are nothing like what was advertised, and the unrest in the area is a real concern. But when Genevieve and Tristan meet, there is an instant connection.

As the days go by, the political struggles in the area intensify, and everyone is affected. After leaving her native France in the midst of similar circumstances, Genevieve wonders if there is anywhere that she might be able to find the peace and love she longs for.

Set in 1704, The Pelican Bride is the first book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles series by Beth White.

For more information, click here.


About the Author: Beth White's day job is teaching music at an inner-city high school in historic Mobile, Alabama. A native Mississippian, her passion is writing historical romance with a southern drawl. Her novels have won the American Christian Fiction Writers' Carol Award, the RT Book Club Reviewers' Choice Award, and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award. Learn more at www.bethwhite.net.



My Take:

Admittedly, this time period and setting is not one that I read often. I was intrigued, though, by the story of women coming to the New World as brides and not necessarily getting what they bargained for. As far as that plotline goes, this book was really interesting. It was neat to see early America through the eyes of the newcomers and to experience what life was like in the colonies at that time, especially since there were so many people vying for the land.

I have to say, however, that this novel was very heavy on the historical side of things. I like historical fiction, of course – it is my favorite genre to read. But this one had so many historical facts and details that the fiction part of it often got lost. The author actually admits in her note at the end of the book that this might be the case: “I’m pretty much the ultimate history geek, so I found myself loading the story with way too much information for the average fiction reader (I suspect I’ll have critics on both ends of the spectrum). At my editor’s suggestion, I decided to put some of that information here, to keep from bogging down the action in the novel.” (White, Kindle location 4241)

Unfortunately, that is exactly what I thought happened in this novel. Actually, it wasn’t always the strict history lesson that got in the way of the action of the story but the descriptions of the setting and time period. There were so many times when something exciting would be happening, and right in the middle of it there would be a description of how bread was being made or how a character’s office looked. I am really torn about this style of writing, though. I really liked getting the complete picture of what life was like for people during this time. It was very interesting and made the novel have so much more depth, but sometimes it did slow the action down. I also thought that this novel was too gritty overall, but that’s just a personal preference.

As I began reading this book, I have to say that I was swept up in the story right away. The plotlines are complex and overlap with each other very well. Once the Pelican brides arrived in the settlement, things started getting even more intriguing. I was kept from completely enjoying the main plots of the story, however, because of the sheer number of characters in this book. It doesn’t help that the names of the characters are mostly French. I realize that to remain authentic, this needed to be the case. I just wish I had started keeping a list of who was who at the beginning of the book!

The part of the story that was most interesting to me was the Protestant/Catholic storyline. It was interesting to learn how there was so much persecution of those who were part of the Reformation and that this persecution extended even to the New World. I wish there had been a bit more depth to the matter of faith in the other characters’ lives, not just Genevieve’s. I also liked the story between Genevieve and Tristan. It was a quick romance, but, considering their circumstances, it was believable. 

This is the first book in the Gulf Coast Chronicles by this author, and I believe the next one will be out sometime next year.

I will give The Pelican Bride ... 3 BookWorms.

The Pelican Bride
by Beth White
Gulf Coast Chronicles #1
Revell Publishing
Publication date: April 15, 2014






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

"The Brickmaker's Bride" Review

Soon after the Civil War, Ewan McKay ventures to West Virginia to help his uncle purchase and run a brickmaking business. The one they decide to purchase is currently owned by a war widow and her daughter who are forced to sell. Ewan is soon drawn to the intelligent daughter of the former owner, Laura, whose knowledge of business and brickmaking certainly impresses him. But Laura has been courted for years by a successful lawyer from the area – one who is an aspiring politician and who already knows the secret she holds.

When Ewan’s uncle makes a deal that puts the brickworks in jeopardy, his future seems hopeless. With Laura’s help, will Ewan be able to save the brickworks? And will he also be able to win Laura’s heart?

The Brickmaker’s Bride is the first in the “Refined by Love” series by Judith Miller.

For a small change of pace, I decided to put a post-Civil War-era book into my repertoire. I tend to shy away from Civil War-era books for some reason, but this one caught my eye.

Usually I am very interested in discovering different eras in history and the processes and things that go along with them, especially things that I don’t know much about. I definitely know nothing about brickmaking, but I was less than thrilled with the descriptions of making bricks in this book. It was sometimes tedious and didn’t always flow well with the rest of the story. The tension over the bad deal that Ewan’s uncle made kept the plot going, but it sometimes seemed as if it was just all too much. I just kept wanting poor Ewan to catch a break.

The romance between Laura and Ewan was sweet, but the main characters themselves seemed to lack a depth that would have made them more endearing to the reader. I’m not sure what more could have been done to achieve this depth. The dialogue for the most part was good, but I felt as if the main characters didn’t experience too much growth overall. I just didn’t feel connected to Laura or Ewan, and most of the minor characters were over-the-top and annoying. I was at least satisfied with the end of the book and how Laura and Ewan’s story was wrapped up.

Even though I didn’t feel as if Laura and Ewan grew too much in this novel, there were still some important spiritual themes that were explored. Some of these were leaning on God during difficult times, not compromising your integrity (especially in business), and knowing that no one is too far gone to be redeemed. Although I felt as if these themes sometimes didn’t go quite deep enough and sometimes left Christ out of the picture, they still redeemed the book a bit for me.

Overall, The Brickmaker’s Bride seemed to have two different personalities. It wanted to be a sweet romantic story, but too many historical details and annoying minor characters got in the way. On the other hand, it wanted to be a fiction novel pertaining to the business of brickmaking in the second half of the 1800s, but the romance seemed to be just tacked on for good measure. Maybe it was just me, but for some reason, the two didn’t seem to click together very well.

Even though there were some bumps along the way, The Brickmaker’s Bride is a sweet romantic story that takes place during an especially hard time in our nation’s history.

I will give The Brickmaker's Bride ... 3 BookWorms.

The Brickmaker's Bride
by Judith Miller
"Refined by Love" #1
Bethany House Publishers
Publication date: October 7, 2014
352 pages






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this is accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."