"All Things Hidden" Review

Gwyn Hillerman loves helping her father in his medical clinic, and she absolutely adores living in the beautiful frontier of Alaska. When President Roosevelt starts a program as part of his New Deal to move hundreds of families into the Matanuska Valley, Gwyn is uncertain. She doesn’t want the idyllic world that she and her father have lived in for all these years to be shattered. Gwyn’s father, however, is excited to see Alaska settled, and soon Gwyn is able to join in his excitement and to anticipate the arrival of new settlers to their valley.

For Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan, moving to Alaska is a necessity. Running from a snowball effect of troubles in his native Chicago, Jeremiah jumps at the chance to work with his mentor, Dr. Hillerman, as the new settlers arrive in Alaska. Jeremiah is determined to keep his past a secret and to stay far away from any semblance of romance as possible. But he was not prepared to meet Gwyn Hillerman.

As the settlers arrive and everyone prepares for the coming winter in Alaska, more and more things that were meant to be kept hidden come to the surface. Will these hidden things destroy the relationships that have been forged in this new settlement, or will it be an opportunity for grace, forgiveness, and, ultimately, hope?

When I first started reading this novel, I was completely captivated by the setting and by the situations in which the characters found themselves. I had no previous knowledge of the history behind this novel – the settlement of this valley in Alaska during the Depression – and I was fascinated by it. The history, real people, and fictional characters were weaved into the storyline very well.  I was able to enjoy the history and the setting and to learn something while being entertained, which is what historical fiction is all about.

While the balance between fact and fiction was done well, it still felt as if the story lacked…something. The plot was strong enough to carry the historical component, but it didn’t quite have that extra oomph to make it an incredible novel. The story is told from many different perspectives, which did give it more depth, but the characters sometimes seemed to be caricatured to the point that I didn’t always believe them. Telling the story from standpoint of the various characters gave a view into their motivations, but even so, those motivations didn’t always ring true. I felt that the book spent a lot of time in the characters heads rather than moving the plot along with action and events. Jeremiah and Gwyn admittedly don’t spend much time together at all, and yet each claims to be falling in love with the other. I was able to understand their attraction, but their courtship seemed to take place in their heads rather than by actually talking to and spending time with the other person.

When various events and situations did pop up in this novel, they were interesting and were believable for this time and place. It was especially interesting to see the different issues and things that came into play due to the rapid pace of trying to get the people settled in this new territory before winter.

Another thing that kept the plot moving was the part of the story involving a criminal who is currently hiding out in the Alaskan settlement. While his motivations were not always clear to me, his presence and actions at least added an additional element to the plot. I wouldn’t call this added component suspenseful, necessarily, since the reader knows who the perpetrator is the entire time, but his actions more than any other characters’ did the most to keep the story moving overall.

I have frequently noted in the past that I like for Christian fiction to actually be Christian fiction. I expect novels with the label of Christian to actually mention Christ in a positive way. I understand that not everyone agrees with this. I can appreciate and enjoy a novel that does not mention God or the Bible yet is still clean and is an interesting read, but I enjoy a Christian novel even more when Christ is presented in a clear way.

In this novel, the presentation of God, Jesus, and the Bible was very clear. However, I think the best Christian novels do this in a way that is clear but that is also natural and very well-balanced. All Things Hidden had the clear part going for it, but I thought it bordered on being a little preachy. It’s hard to explain the difference, but when it’s there – the natural and the well-balanced – you just know it.

Overall, All Things Hidden was a well-researched, interesting, and easy-to-read book that just lacked that extra something to make it really great. I can see – and would be interested in – some sequels coming in the future.

I will give All Things Hidden … 3.5 BookWorms.

All Things Hidden
by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse
Bethany House Publishers
Publication date: January 7, 2014






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."
 
 

"The Calling" Review

Bethany's restless heart is searching for answers--in life and in love

Bethany Schrock's love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending hot summer days wading through a lifetime of accumulation at the home of five elderly Amish sisters. She's not sure what she wants out of life, but she knows that she's not finding it in Stoney Ridge.

Then a new guest at the Inn at Eagle Hill ropes her into volunteering in a community project for down-and-outers. Reluctant at first, Bethany starts to feel a bit of joy and satisfaction again. But not so much that Jimmy Fisher, adorable and impossible, can woo her affections with his winks and tricks. Well, maybe a little.

When a figure from her past reenters her life, Bethany must decide: What does the past mean to her future?

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the quiet community of Stoney Ridge.


For more info, click here.



About the Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of The Letters, the Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist, a Carol Award winner, and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.

For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.




My Take:

I read the first novel in this series at the end of last year (you can read my review here), and it was entertaining overall. There are lots of characters and storylines to keep straight in these books, and, even though this gives the books more depth and keeps them more realistic, it is sometimes difficult to keep everything straight.

Even though this is the second book in the series, it seemed as if the characters were even harder to keep straight in this one. I also didn't connect as well with Bethany as I did with Rose in the previous novels. Most likely it's because I am closer in age to Rose. I thought Bethany was a very interesting and entertaining character in the first novel, and I found this to be the case again. I just wasn't as emotionally invested in her or in her relationships. However, there were some issues that were brought up in this novel that were handled very well.

The Sisters in the story were also very entertaining (why does an Amish family of four sisters have so many things?!), and Bethany's relationship with them was unique and made for some fun plot twists. To me these weren't entirely realistic, but I don't need that to be the complete focus in a fiction novel. Those types of things make the novel more fun to read.

Not only were there tons of characters in this novel, but there were many different plots as well. These varied plots seemed to step on one another at times and sometimes didn't seem to be related. It almost felt like reading disconnected observations rather than a composite story, although thins did come together closer to the end. 

Although things did wrap up more at the end of this novel, there were still things that will need to be played out in the next book.

The Calling is a nice novel that deals with some complex issues with grace and hope.

I will give The Calling ... 3 BookWorms.

The Calling
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
The Inn at Eagle Hill #2
Revell Publishers
Publication date: January 14, 2014






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell 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."

"The Letters" Review

Welcome to a place of unconditional love and unexpected blessings

When widow Rose Schrock turns her Amish farmhouse into a bed and breakfast, she expects there might be problems - the reaction of her cantankerous mother-in-law for one; disapproval from the church for another.

But what she doesn't expect is that the guests at the Inn at Eagle Hill will spill their problems into her life and into her heart. She also never expects the kind of help and support she gets from Galen King, the quiet and rugged horse trainer next door. Love, Rose discovers, can bloom in the most unexpected ways.

With inspiration from a true story and her signature plot twists, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge for a fresh story of simple pleasures and strong faith in a complex world.

For more information, click here.

About the Author:  Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Christy Award finalist and a Carol Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.

For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.




My Take:

I have enjoyed Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels in the past, so I was looking forward to reading this next series. I really like how she portrays the Amish lifestyle while keeping her books realistic and entertaining.

To begin, the set up for this novel was really interesting. Starting an Amish Inn was a unique scenario and was also a great way to incorporate English characters into this fictional Amish world. I enjoyed the characters in this novel, too. They were extremely varied and each had their own voice. I thought telling the story from each characters' point of view was sometimes a little overwhelming, but it did give depth to the story and gave the reader more awareness of the characters' motives throughout the novel.

I feel as if I connected most with Rose's character in this book. Her determination to fix the mistakes her late husband made was understandable. Her romance with neighbor Galen was really sweet. I also liked Bethany - mostly just because her part in the story was really interesting, and she seems to be one of the ones who needs to experience a significant amount of growth over the course of other novels. (I'm looking forward to her story in the next book!)

The other characters were fine (except for Jimmy Fisher, who drove me to distraction with his naiveté), but nothing really stood out for me with them, even the English character who stayed at the Inn. The thing I did like about her story was the connection of her son with a previous series.

There are tons of characters in this book, and, as such, there are many different storylines going on. While this keeps the novel more realistic, it did get sort of jumbled at times, especially when I had to put the book down for any significant period of time. I can't say that I was significantly bored at any point, though, which is a good thing.

The part of the story that concerns the letters was not quite what I was expecting, but I am interested to see where it goes in the future during this series. It will be interesting to see how things continue with the letters that Mim (Rose's daughter) is responding to and how the author continues with the "miracle" storyline that seems to be taking place. I'm not quite sure yet how I feel about that.

Overall, The Letters is a nice, easy novel that has tons of characters and things going on but that is still filled with hope.

I will give The Letters ... 3 BookWorms.

 

The Letters
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
The Inn at Eagle Hill #1
Revell Publishers
Publication date: August 1, 2013






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell 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."

"Carolina Gold" Blog Tour

The war is over, but her struggle is just beginning.

Charlotte Fraser returns to her late father's once-flourishing rice plantation on the Waccamaw River, determined to continue growing the special kind of rice known as Carolina Gold. But Fairhaven Plantation is in ruins, the bondsmen are free, and money is scarce.

To make ends meet, Charlotte reluctantly accepts a position as tutor to the young daughters of Nicholas Betancourt, heir to the neighboring Willowood Plantation. Then Nick's quest to prove his ownership of Willowood sends Charlotte on a dangerous journey that reveals an old family mystery---and threatens all that she holds dear.

Inspired by the life of a 19th century woman rice planter, Carolina Gold continues Dorothy Love's winning tradition of weaving together mystery, romance, and rich historical detail, bringing to life the story of one young woman's struggle to restore her ruined world.

Purchase a copy here: http://ow.ly/s2Q5l

About the author: A former journalist, free-lance writer and college professor, Dorothy Love explores the intersection of history and human relationships to create novels that speak to the hearts of women everywhere. She is the author of the acclaimed Hickory Ridge novels set in her native state of Tennessee.

After earning a masters degree and Ph.D, she authored dozens of magazine articles before breaking into book publishing with a number of award-winning novels for preteens and young adults. The Hickory Ridge series marked her adult fiction debut. Currently she is working on several stand-alone historical novels set in the South.

When she isn't busy writing or researching her next book, Love enjoys hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her husband Ron and their rambunctious golden retriever. The Loves make their home in the Texas hill country.

To keep up with Dorothy Love, visit www.dorothylovebooks.com, become a fan on Facebook (Dorothy Love Books) or follow her on Twitter (@writerDorothy).



My Take:

I thought the books in the Hickory Ridge series by this author were nice, easy reads, and I was looking forward to that again in Carolina Gold.

But while I thought that this book was very well written historically, it was not quite the same nice, easy read that her previous novels were.

As far as the historical aspects and the setting, this novel was spot on. As I was reading, I was transported to the time and place that was portrayed. The years after the Civil War were times of upheaval in the South in so many different ways. Tensions were running high between North and South and black and white, and many were struggling to find their way. These tensions came across very well in this novel - so much so that at times it was a bit overwhelming. The setting of South Carolina was painted very well also. This fascinating area of the country was described in such detail that I could imagine the landscape beautifully.

These descriptions of the setting and the historical aspects, however, were really the only things that kept the book interesting. To me there didn't seem to be much of a story. The romance between Charlotte and Nicholas did not really have enough depth to keep the story moving. The conflict between them that was "keeping them apart" seemed contrived, and, since the story was told only from Charlotte's point of view, I didn't feel as if I got to know Nicholas very well. I will say that how their relationship ended up at the end of the book was believable, especially since the two of them didn't seem to spend much time together during the course of the book. I also enjoyed the relationship between Charlotte and Nicholas's children. It was very sweet.

Also, there wasn't much else to move the story along. The only action in the book was when Charlotte would receive bad news or in the day-to-day details of the characters' lives, which got repetitive. The Hickory Ridge series were books that were easy reads, but this one was a little too easy of a read. There also wasn't very much to the mystery that was advertised in the book summary.

I also have to say that the Christian portion of this novel was practically nonexistent. There was so much that could have been explored about the characters' faith at this time in their lives, but Jesus was never mentioned, and God was only talked about a handful of times.

As I said, I thought the historical parts of the book were interesting, and it is neat that this novel is based on a real person. But the historical aspects and setting were not enough to keep it moving, and the whole thing read more like a biography than a novel.

I will give Carolina Gold ... 3 BookWorms.

Carolina Gold
by Dorothy Love
Thomas Nelson Publishers
Publication date: December 10, 2013

Don't miss Dorothy Love's latest historical novel, Carolina Gold.

Fun news: The release of Carolina Gold coincides with Dorothy's birthday. Celebrate with her by entering the Southern Essentials Giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook party on January 14th!

 
Between January 3–14, visit Dorothy Love's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win the $100 Visa Cash Card grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 14th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.) RSVP today for Dorothy's Carolina Gold Author Chat Party on Facebook.

During the party Dorothy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Southern Essentials Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at her next book!

So grab your copy of Carolina Gold and help Dorothy celebrate her birthday on the evening of January 14th! (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 14th!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Litfuse Publicity. 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."

 



"Everyday Confetti" Blog Tour

Everyday Confetti

Your Year-Round Guide to Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions

Got a calendar packed with reasons to celebrate but a brain that lacks ideas? Special people you want to love on but limited time to do it?

Relax. We've got you covered.

Everyday Confetti is your go-to guide to making holidays, birthdays, special events, and even the everyday special. Inside you'll find more than two hundred ways to make memories with your family, including easy recipes, fun activities, and inexpensive decorating ideas--all simple, doable, and stress-free.

Find out more here.



About the Authors:

Karen Ehman is the director of speaker development and an online devotion writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries whose passion is to help women live their priorities and love their lives. Her latest book is entitled Let. It. Go. How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith. Karen has been a guest on media outlets such as Focus on the Family, Moody Mid-day Connection, and The 700 Club. She is the wife of Todd, the mother of three, and resides in central Michigan.

Connect with her at www.karenehman.com.

Glynnis Whitwer, executive director of communications for Proverbs 31 Ministries, is one of the writers of Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 email devotional. She is the author of I Used to Be So Organized, When Your Child Hurts, and Work@home: A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work from Home. Glynnis, her husband, Tod, and their five children live in Arizona.

She blogs regularly at www.glynniswhitwer.com.






My Take:

Everyday Confetti is not your typical cookbook, nor is it your typical special occasion how-to guide. 

It’s a combination of the two for those of us who want to make everyday things special but who do not want to even attempt to be anything close to Martha Stewart. 

I get so frustrated when I get a new cookbook or read an article about “easy” tips for your special gathering and then find out it's something that will take hours to set up (especially while caring for a kid) or that it's a recipe that requires 7 different types of fresh herbs I have never even heard of. 

This book presents simple and neat ideas for lots of different occasions – ideas that just about anyone can do.  The recipes are simple, too.  In our family, we are just plain folk.  We like simple, and this book is right up our alley.  The recipes are also pretty easy to change to your liking, and the celebration suggestions are creative, yet simple and cost effective. 

I will confess that not everything mentioned would be something that our family would enjoy, but there were lots of good ideas that we can incorporate into our family traditions. Because of our busy holiday schedule, we have not had a chance to try the recipes yet, but we are looking forward to doing so later this year.

For simple ways to throw confetti on the everyday, this book is the way to go.

I will give Everyday Confetti ... 4 BookWorms.

 

 

 

Everyday Confetti

by Karen Ehman & Glynnis Whitwer

Revell Publishers

Publication date: January 21, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell 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."

Contest and Facebook party for "Carolina Gold"

Don't miss Dorothy Love's latest historical novel, Carolina Gold.

Fun news: The release of Carolina Gold coincides with Dorothy's birthday. Celebrate with her by entering the Southern Essentials Giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook party on January 14th!

 
Between January 3–14, visit Dorothy Love's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win the $100 Visa Cash Card grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 14th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.) RSVP today for Dorothy's Carolina Gold Author Chat Party on Facebook.

During the party Dorothy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills, announcing the winner of the Southern Essentials Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at her next book!

So grab your copy of Carolina Gold and help Dorothy celebrate her birthday on the evening of January 14th! (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Enter here - http://is.gd/UK04JA

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY.

HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 14th!

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Adventure Bible Storybook" Deluxe Edition Review

Adventure Awaits!

 

The Adventure Bible Storybook starts children on the journey of a lifetime, introducing them to some of the greatest stories of the Bible! Bold, beautiful illustrations bring the fifty action-packed stories to life as readers encounter fun, exciting themes of discovery, imagination, and suspense---everything you’d expect from a fantastic adventure.

This deluxe edition enhances the Bible reading experience with audio CDs that include multiple character voices, music, and sound effects. The Adventure Bible Storybook Deluxe Edition stimulates children’s minds and fills their hearts with love for their heavenly Father.

For more information about this title, click here.


About the Author:

Catherine DeVries is a writer and editor. She has been influential in the development of many bestselling children’s Bibles and Bible storybooks including The Adventure Bible, The Beginner’s Bible and the Jesus Storybook Bible. She is also the author of My Time with God and many articles that have been published in professional magazines and journals. Catherine lives with her husband and three children in Colorado.



About the Illustrator:
Jim Madsen has been illustrating for the past fifteen years. He has worked on more than fifty books, including the most recent updates to the NIV Adventure Bible and the NIrV Adventure Bible for Early Readers.




My Take:

We have a lot of Bible storybooks at our house. Some are fantastic, and others are only OK.

I would have to say that the Adventure Bible Storybook is closer to the fantastic side of things rather than just OK. It's not the absolute best, but it is better than most.

One thing that I think makes this storybook Bible so good is the illustrations. They just seem to jump off the page. I am not a fan of cartoon-y Bible storybook illustrations, and this book is definitely illustrated very well.

The stories are written well, too.  The stories selected are mostly the ones that are more 'adventurous' (hence, the name of the book), but it has a solid selection that paints the complete picture of the Bible. Two things I look for in every Bible storybook that I review is whether each story has a corresponding Bible reference (each story in this one does) and how the storybook portrays Christ's life, death, and resurrection. There are many stories included in this storybook about Christ's life, and the stories about his death and resurrection were written biblically. This Bible storybook even includes some stories about Paul (my husband loved the map of the journeys of Paul!), and about Jesus coming back again someday.

That being said, this is a storybook. Some of the stories are a bit fictionalized in their telling, but I find this to be true of most Bible storybooks. Obviously, Bible storybooks do not replace the real thing, but they can be good to give kids more of a picture of what is happening in the Bible.

Each story in this book has a follow-up adventure-type fact and Bible verse to go along with it. Older children would probably have more interest in this than my four-year-old daughter did, but it was still an interesting thing to add to each Bible story.

My daughter's favorite part of this book is definitely the accompanying CDs. She plays them in her CD player and loves to follow along with each story. The various voices enhance the CDs even more.

Overall, this is a nice Bible storybook that will be added to our bedtime rotation of Bible storybooks in the months and years to come!

I will give The Adventure Bible Storybook Deluxe Edition ... 4 BookWorms.

The Adventure Bible Storybook Deluxe Edition
by Catherine DeVries
Illustrated by Jim Madsen
Zonderkidz Publishers
Ages 4-7
Publication date: October 9, 2013






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zonderkidz. 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."

"A Queen Named Esther" & "David Battles Goliath" Reviews

A Queen Named Esther is a soft-cover children’s book that tells the story of Esther from the Bible. The illustrations are taken from The Beginner’s Bible, also from Zondervan.

This little book is an excellent retelling of the story of Esther. It stays true to the biblical account but is told in a way that is easily understandable for children. The characters are drawn in a cartoonish fashion, but I think this keeps the story more relatable for children.

The story of Esther is a hard one to tackle for children, since it is so intricate, but this version does a good job of explaining how Esther became queen and how she had to choose whether or not to be willing to stand up for and help save her people.

The recommended age group for this book is 2-5. I think this is very appropriate. My four-year-old daughter really liked the pictures in the book, and she also said that she liked the queen.

A Queen Named Esther is a wonderful Bible story book that tells of the courage of Esther and the love of our great God.

David Battles Goliath is a children’s book that tells the story of David and Goliath from the Bible (1 Samuel 17). The illustrations are taken from The Beginner’s Bible, also from Zondervan, and it is a soft-cover format.

My four-year-old daughter is very familiar with the story of David and Goliath (mostly from VeggieTales), but she still enjoyed this book. The illustrations are colorful (if a bit cartoonish), and the story is told in a way that is easy for little ones to understand. It also handles the violence that comes along with this story in a way that is truthful but not too frightening. (There is a picture of Goliath lying dead on the ground with David standing over him, but even that picture is not too upsetting).

The recommended age group for this book is 2-5, and I feel that it is appropriate. Younger ones will enjoy listening to the story, and beginning readers will be able to use this book to start reading more on their own.

This retelling of the story of David and Goliath focuses on David’s great faith in God. David believed that the Israelites would be delivered from the Philistines, and this book is written as such in an exciting and uplifting way.



I will give both of these books ... 4.5 BookWorms.

A Queen Named Esther & David Battles Goliath
by Kelly Pulley
Zonderkidz
Publication date: September 24, 2013






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Zonderkidz. 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."

"Stranded" Review

Darcy St. James thought her undercover journalism days were over. But then her best friend Abby convinces her to join her in an investigation on board an Alaskan cruise ship. When Darcy arrives on the ship and discovers that Abby has disappeared, Darcy’s task becomes even more difficult.

Gage McKenna and his siblings love doing their job of taking tourists on various Alaskan excursions. When the McKenna family is approached about running the off-board activities for an Alaskan cruise ship, Gage decides to head it up. He thinks this job will give him the opportunity to get Darcy St. James – a girl who he thought he might be able to care for but who abruptly left his life – out of his mind.

When Gage realizes that Darcy is doing publicity for the cruise ship, he is stunned. And when he finds out that Darcy is actually undercover, he is dismayed. Gage is attracted to Darcy, but he is not interested in being with someone (again) who is not completely genuine.
As Darcy searches for the truth of what happened to Abby, she and Gage are thrust into the middle of something even more sinister than they believed.

Stranded is the third book in the Alaskan Courage series by Dani Pettrey. You can read my reviews of Submerged and Shattered also.

In usual Dani Pettrey fashion, this book starts off with a bang. You could probably read this novel without having read the first two in the series, but it might be a bit chaotic in the beginning if you are not already familiar with the characters. It took me a bit to remember who all the characters were and to get familiar with them.

The story starts off strong with the disappearance of Abby and with Gage and Darcy ending up working together to find her. The suspense portion of this novel is done very well. I was interested in the mystery surrounding Abby’s disappearance, and it was fun to follow all of the twists and turns along the way. The only thing that kind of got in the way of the suspense was that although I appreciated Darcy’s dedication to finding her friend, I sometimes thought the way she went about it was either naïve or a bit over the top and reckless.

As for the romance between Gage and Darcy, it pretty much followed the same pattern as the previous novels. Gage and Darcy did seem to be meant for each other, but the romantic conflict seemed rather more limited in its scope than it could have been. It was a bit tiresome that Gage kept having to rescue Darcy all the time (see the previous paragraph on her being reckless...) - I mean, he 'saved' her, what? Three times, I think? Just a bit much.

I mentioned in my reviews of the previous novels in this series that they both had a clear message of grace and forgiveness that comes through, and that is true for this novel as well. Gage is really struggling with questions that all of us ask at one time or another such as why would a loving God allow bad things to happen, especially to children? This portion of the novel was difficult for me to read, but it was written with a sense of hope and continued faith in God with the focus being clearly on Christ.

As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of characters in this novel. This is mostly due to the fact that this is the third book in the series, which is to be expected. I actually think that one of the best parts of this book was how it set up the story of Jake that will hopefully be told in the next book. I have been interested in his story since Submerged, the first book in the series, so the next novel is going to have a lot to live up to!


Overall this book was a good continuation of the series. The setting of the Alaskan cruise ship was really interesting, especially since I would love to go on an Alaskan cruise someday. I just hope I don't have to deal with the things these characters did on that cruise!


I will give Stranded ... 3.5 BookWorms.

 


Stranded by Dani Pettrey
Alaskan Courage #3
Bethany House Publishers
Publication date: September 1, 2013





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."

"Christmas in Apple Ridge" 3-in-1 Review

Experience the holidays with the Plain folk of Apple Ridge, Pennsylvania, in these touching novellas centered around love, romance, heartache, and restoration from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall.

The Sound of Sleigh Bells
Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy, but when she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds. Determined that her niece meet the gifted artist, her aunt tracks him down, but it’s not that simple. Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love?
 
The Christmas Singing
Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Brokenhearted, Mattie moves away and pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator, and even finds a new beau. But when Mattie is forced to return home three years later, will learning the truth behind Gideon’s rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?
 
The Dawn of Christmas
Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it’s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan—but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?


For more information click here. You can also read Chapter One here.


About the Author: Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of numerous works of fiction and one of nonfiction. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media. She lives in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains with her family. - See more at: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/


My Take:

Two years ago I read and reviewed the second of these three novellas - The Christmas Singing - and it was a very nice read for the Christmas season. So I was looking forward to reading the other Apple Ridge Christmas novellas as well.

In the first novella - The Sound of Sleigh Bells - I was immediately drawn in to the story of Beth and Jonah. I liked both of them as characters, and I was rooting for them to get together the whole time. I also liked how they communicated through letters, even though it was kind of strange that neither of them completely knew who they were writing to. I was interested in Beth's past very much, but I did think that it got to be a little drawn out that the reader didn't know for so long what actually happened in Beth's past. I think her development would have been even better if I knew exactly what she was struggling with through at least half of the novella instead of just having it be revealed closer to the end.

Since I have already reviewed The Christmas Singing, I won't rehash it here. You can read that review here.

As for The Dawn of Christmas, I think it was my favorite of the three. I was truly rooting for them to get together throughout the course of the novella - maybe even more than I was rooting for Beth and Jonah in the first one! Sadie was such a realistic character, and even though the reason Levi had "sworn off women" seemed a little far-fetched, I still was sympathetic towards him. The Dawn of Christmas was probably the most humorous of the three as well, which helped to endear it to me.

I also liked how the characters from the first novella were in the second and so on. It was neat seeing these characters "later on" in the story.

For a nice, heartwarming read at Christmas, Christmas in Apple Ridge is a good bet.

I will give Christmas in Apple Ridge ... 3.5 BookWorms.

Christmas in Apple Ridge 3-in-1 by Cindy Woodsmall
Collection of three novellas
WaterBrook Press
Publication date: October 9, 2012






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Press. 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."