Engraved on the Heart by Tara Johnson

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Reluctant debutante Keziah Montgomery lives beneath the weighty expectations of her staunch Confederate family, forced to keep her epilepsy secret for fear of a scandal. As the tensions of the Civil War arrive on their doorstep in Savannah, Keziah sees little cause for balls and courting. Despite her discomfort, she cannot imagine an escape from her familial confines—until her old schoolmate Micah shows her a life-changing truth that sets her feet on a new path . . . as a conductor in the Underground Railroad.

MY THOUGHTS:
The last few months have been so very busy for me, and it has been hard to find time to read. When I am able to carve out some time to indulge in a book, I have found that the last few I have chosen haven't captured my attention from the get-go, and I plod the remaining way through the story.

Whoa! Not Engraved on the Heart! What an amazing debut novel by Tara!! I sat down to start the book, and I must have been interrupted by a child, but as I checked my Kindle, I was 29% through the book! By my criteria, that must mean a good 'un! I was totally captivated by Tara's descriptions and characters, and she swept me right into the heart of the story without any effort on my part.

Engraved on the Heart had everything I love in a Civil War setting: the conflict, the suspense, the fear, the courage, the love! Tara captured it all, and I would definitely pick up her next book...whatever it is!

I don't want to give spoilers, but the fight climax had some confusing issues. I couldn't quite figure out how it actually occurred (because of the disability of one of the characters) or was resolved...but, the rest of the book was too good to wonder about it for too very long.

Well done, Tara! I loved it!

Thank you to Tara and Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Did you find my review helpful? Please rate it on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Having a Martha Home the Mary Way by Sarah Mae

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Is it possible to find a balance? To care for your heart―and your home―at the same time?

Journey with Sarah Mae on this easy, practical 31-day plan to get you moving and have your house looking and feeling fresh. But even more than that, you’ll gain a new vision for the home of your dreams, and how to make it a place of peace, comfort, and community. Originally published as the e-book 31 Days to Clean and now revised and expanded in print for the first time, Having a Martha Home the Mary Way will inspire you to find a happier, healthier . . . cleaner way to live.

MY THOUGHTS:
This book is just like exercise: if you WANT to do it, and COMMIT to do it, you WILL see change!

I found Sarah Mae's writing style to be friendly and encouraging. She wasn't better than me...she struggles with feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and tired...and comparing herself with someone else's 'clean' home.

I really enjoyed the Martha/Mary format to the book. Most of us fall into one of those categories...and need work on the other! Each chapter is short – super short! No need to feel that this book will take hours to wade through, adding only one more overwhelming task to our day.

Sarah Mae writes a short, engaging chapter before giving the reader two challenges: a Mary challenge, which takes a look at God's Word to motivate and calm your soul; and then a Martha challenge, which motivates you to take on a simple cleaning task for that day to get your home back into order.

I really thought Having a Martha Home the Mary Way was wonderful and doable...and, again, I know it CAN work...IF I do it! So, if you need a little push, let Sarah Mae encourage and motivate you in 31 days to a marked difference in your home! You, too, CAN do it...if you WANT to and WILL!!

Thank you to Sarah Mae and Tyndale through Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Did you find my review helpful? Please rate it on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Secrets She Kept by Cathy Gohlke

ABOUT THE BOOK:
All her life, Hannah Sterling longed for a close relationship with her estranged mother. Following Lieselotte’s death, Hannah determines to unlock the secrets of her mother’s mysterious past and is shocked to discover a grandfather living in Germany.

Thirty years earlier, Lieselotte’s father is quickly ascending the ranks of the Nazi party, and a proper marriage for his daughter could help advance his career. Lieselotte is in love―but her beloved Lukas is far from an ideal match, as he secretly works against the Reich. Yet Lieselotte never imagined how far her father would go to ensure her cooperation.

Both Hannah’s and Lieselotte’s stories unfold as Hannah travels to Germany to meet her grandfather, who is hiding wartimes secrets of his own. Longing for connection, yet shaken by all she uncovers, Hannah must decide if she can atone for her family’s tragic past and how their legacy will shape her future

MY THOUGHTS:
I have really enjoyed Cathy Gohlke's books. Secrets She Kept was very unique, covering two storylines – one modern (albeit set in the 70's), one historical. It was a hard book to put down!

I was really drawn to Lieselotte (beautiful name as well!!) and loved that the Ten Boom sisters were tied in to her experience (I have always loved their story)!

Hannah's chapters will have you leaning forward, trying to figure out the strange mystery surrounding her grandfather and his friends. Her visits to the Jews that her grandfather wronged were both eye-opening and heartbreaking. A perspective that I never really gave thought to before.

Though a satisfactory end, the story itself brings some sadness to know that issues were not resolved while people were living. A good lesson on truth...and regrets.

Thank you to Margaret and Thomas Nelson through Litfuse for sending me a copy to read and review!

Did you find my review helpful? Please rate it on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Where Treasure Hides by Johnnie Alexander

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family’s renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She’s certain that true love will only lead to tragedy—that is, until a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life. Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison begins to question her fear of love as World War II breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow. As time, war, and human will struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?

MY THOUGHTS:
It has been a long time since a book has kept me reading late into the night. Where Treasure Hides can account for some of my tiredness today! ;-) I couldn't put it down.

The story had just what I enjoy in a WWII novel – intrigue and fear. Accounts of hiding and escapes. Hearts torn between love and loyalty. Even though the main character is an artist, and the story revolves around much of the stolen/hidden art during Hitler's regime, I didn't feel it was as 'artsy' as some of the past novels that have talked about the Monuments Men. I liked that. The art of WWII is a fascinating subject, but I can get easily bored if the artsy side gets too detailed.

Instead, the story focused more on the characters and their experiences and feelings. It was good. Really good.

The story is very long (almost 400 pages!), and yet it could have been even longer! The author skips whole years with some chapters. I guess the book could have dragged then, but I enjoyed the characters enough that I wondered what went on during the passed over time.

But, oh, the epilogue!! Oh! I can't tell you, of course, without giving it away, but...oh!! I thought and hoped for what was revealed in the epilogue...but not as it truly was in the epilogue! Confused?! Haa! You'll have to read it for yourself! It was a sadly satisfying ending.

I will definitely watch for more from Johnnie Alexander!

Thank you to Johnnie and the Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Did you find my review helpful? Please rate it on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Buttermilk Sky by Jan Watson

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Weary of the expectations imposed on her by her strict upbringing, eighteen-year-old Mazy Pelfrey prepares to leave her home in the Kentucky mountains for the genteel city of Lexington, where she'll attend secretarial school. She knows her life is about to change-and only for the better. Everything will be blue skies from now on.

But business school is harder than she thought it would be and the big city not as friendly, until she meets a charming young man from a wealthy family, Loyal Chambers. When Loyal sets his sights on her, Mazy begins to see that everything she'd ever wished to have is right before her eyes. The only hindrance to her budding romance is a former beau, Chanis Clay, the young sheriff she thought she'd left firmly behind.

MY THOUGHTS:

I decided to pick up Buttermilk Sky after a review in my latest Christianbook Fiction catalog. The editor mentioned the 'Anne of Green Gables' feel and I was immediately interested. I'm glad I chose to read it.

Buttermilk Sky easily read as a standalone, but it made me want to go back and read all of Jan's previous books! I wanted to get to know some of the past characters that are woven throughout the book, and I liked the feel of the Anne-ish time period.

I liked Mazy right away. She brought to mind a little bit of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. A young, unspoiled girl looking for something exciting...then coming to the realization that there's no place like home.

I also liked Mrs. Pearl and Cinnamon (who needs a story of her own!). I did feel like Mazy's story ended too abruptly – or at least, I really wanted the story to continue or have the characters fleshed out a bit more. Didn't think it was long enough. Like I said, Cinnamon needs a story of her own – and I want to know more about Clara! Perhaps we will see them in a future book...?

A sweet story set in simpler times – I liked it and would definitely read another by Jan!

Thank you to Jan and Tyndale House through NetGalley for sending me a copy to read and review!

Did you find my review helpful? Please rate it on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Grace's Pictures by Cindy Thomson

Thanks to the Tyndale Blog Network, I was able to participate in the blog tour for Cindy Thomson's book, Grace's Pictures.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Grace McCaffery hopes that the bustling streets of New York hold all the promise that the lush hills of Ireland did not. As her efforts to earn enough money to bring her mother to America fail, she wonders if her new Brownie camera could be the answer. But a casual stroll through a beautiful New York City park turns into a hostile run-in with local gangsters, who are convinced her camera holds the first and only photos of their elusive leader.

A policeman with a personal commitment to help those less fortunate finds Grace attractive and longs to help her, but Grace believes such men cannot be trusted.

Spread thin between her quest to rescue her mother, do well in a new nanny job, and avoid the gang intent on intimidating her, Grace must put her faith in unlikely sources to learn the true meaning of courage and forgiveness.

MY THOUGHTS:

I almost always enjoy stories of the immigrant/NYC -type, and this story by Cindy Thomson, a new author to me, was no exception.

Newly-arrived Grace, from Ireland, must find her way in this new country, fighting her fears and beliefs that she is a failure. When she sees an opportunity to buy a $1 Brownie camera and prove that she is good at something, Grace inadvertently winds up in more trouble than she ever thought possible.

Everyone has a camera nowadays and being an amateur photographer myself, I thought the story was unique and different from most immigrant stories, weaving in the history of photography and the ensuing issues of privacy.

I thought Grace's Pictures was an enjoyable, light read. I liked Cindy's style and would read another book by her!

AND FOR YOU, a Q&A with Cindy HERE and a peek into the book HERE.

Thank you to Cindy and Tyndale for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Maureen O’Reilly and her younger sister flee Ireland in hope of claiming the life promised to their father over twenty years before. After surviving the rigors of Ellis Island, Maureen learns that their benefactor, Colonel Wakefield, has died. His family, refusing to own his Civil War debt, casts her out. Alone, impoverished, and in danger of deportation, Maureen connives to obtain employment in a prominent department store. But she soon discovers that the elegant facade hides a secret that threatens every vulnerable woman in the city.

Despite her family’s disapproval, Olivia Wakefield determines to honor her father’s debt but can’t find Maureen. Unexpected help comes from a local businessman, whom Olivia begins to see as more than an ally, even as she fears the secrets he’s hiding. As women begin disappearing from the store, Olivia rallies influential ladies in her circle to help Maureen take a stand against injustice and fight for the lives of their growing band of sisters. But can either woman open her heart to divine leading or the love it might bring?

MY THOUGHTS:

After thoroughly enjoying Promise Me This, I couldn’t wait to read whatever Cathy came up with next. Band of Sisters was not quite the story I was anticipating of two Irish sisters fleeing their homeland for a better life in America.

Oh, that’s the basis of the story...but, the typical immigrant tale that I expected of discovering that America isn’t all gold and glitter had a much darker side in Band of Sisters.

The crux of Gohlke’s newest book is white slavery: women and young girls being kidnapped by traffickers and sold for immoral purposes. And although Cathy set her novel in 1910 NYC, she shares with her reader that she was challenged to write about a current need. Sadly, she states,

‘today, in this twenty-first century, there are far more people trapped in bondage, more people exploited and enslaved in every way, than at the height of the transatlantic slave trade.’

Shocking, isn’t it?

I’ve read about the issue on a few other mom blogs, but in my small protected circle, it’s difficult to imagine such happenings still occurring - and how huge the issue really is.

Band of Sisters relates the story of one Maureen O’Reilly and her determination to protect and provide for her young sister. Her courage is sorely tested when she recognizes that all is not as upstanding as it seems at Darcy’s Department Store.

However, Maureen’s painful past makes it almost impossible for her to trust those who promise to help, let alone love the one man who knows her miserable history.

Cathy is definitely a fabulous writer. Despite the vile subject, she did not go into great detail (which I greatly appreciate), although some of the name-calling by Maureen’s sister made me a bit uncomfortable (and the revelation of her mother’s behavior was quite unsettling).

I thought Cathy successfully used her writing skills to call attention to a problem that has never gone away...if anything, it has grown. Current at the time was Sheldon’s book, In His Steps. Cathy used this man’s challenge, ‘What would Jesus do?’ as a basis for the wealthy society ladies who wanted to make a difference, but weren’t sure where to start.

I believe the phrase has been almost overused in the past few decades, somewhat diminishing it’s vital meaning. Truly, what WOULD Jesus do in each and every situation you find yourself in? Are you willing to DO what He would do? Not just in the big things! Sometimes, just learning to hold our tongue is a small, but HUGE thing!

If we each allowed the Holy Spirit to control us, doing what we know Jesus would do, what a difference could be made! Starting with our own life, then our family, friends...the world!

Truly weighty subjects in Band of Sisters - white slavery and our willingness to humbly submit to the Lord. The book was definitely thought-provoking.

**Check out this interview with Cathy HERE!**

A big thank you to Cathy and the Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Bees in the Butterfly Garden by Maureen Lang

I had the opportunity, through Tyndale Blog Network, to read and review Bees in the Butterfly Garden by Maureen Lang.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Raised in an exclusive boarding school among Fifth Avenue’s finest, Meg Davenport has all she’s ever needed . . . but none of the things she’s wanted most, like family, or dreams of a future that includes anything other than finding a suitable match. So when her distant father dies, she seizes the chance to throw etiquette aside and do as she pleases. Especially when she learns that John Davenport wasn’t the wealthy businessman she thought, but one of the Gilded Age’s most talented thieves.

Poised to lead those loyal to Meg’s father, Ian Maguire knows the last thing his mentor would have wanted is for his beloved daughter to follow in his footsteps. Yet Meg is determined, and her connections to one of New York’s wealthiest families could help Ian pull off his biggest heist yet. But are they both in over their heads? And in trying to gain everything, will they end up losing it all?

MY THOUGHTS:

I have read several of Maureen Lang’s previous books and really enjoyed them. I was excited to get my hands on Bees in the Butterfly Garden, especially because she strayed from her war subject with a turn of the century tale of thievery.

I loved the title. I loved the cover. I loved the last third of the book.

Somehow, I felt like I was plodding through the first two-thirds of the book. I wanted it to move faster...but, this could very well be because I have been extremely busy the last 3 weeks. So busy, that my read and relax time was pretty non-existent. When I had a chance to open the book, my tired eyes never got farther than a few paragraphs. Not my normal half-a-book-a-night reading.

This disruption lent itself to some slow reading, and made it difficult to feel the flow of the story or connection to the characters.

However, I persevered, and the last third made up for the slow start.

At first, I felt that Meg’s desire to forget all she knew of right, wrong, and proper high society etiquette and turn to a life of crime seemed pretty unrealistic. And then I had to keep reminding myself that we’re all, as the Bible says, corrupt. Totally depraved. Any one of us, no matter how good we seem, could easily fall into a life of crime.

It was also a great example of what one will do out of love, whether real or the desire of it - bad, in Meg’s case; and good, in Ian’s case.

I loved the Pembertons. (Well, Evie was another good example of depravity - ha! What a rascal!) I loved the family’s method of deciding punishment. Each wronged party gets a vote: mercy, grace, or justice. I thought that approach would be a great teaching tool for my own children!

So, Bees in the Butterfly Garden’s ending -and overall story- was good, although the journey to get there was a bit tedious for me.

AND FOR YOU, a peek into the book:
You can read the first chapter HERE.

Thank you to Maureen and Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Skip Rock Shallows by Jan Watson

Today I'm sharing my review of Skip Rock Shallows by Jan Watson, courtesy of the Tyndale Blog Network.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Lilly Gray Corbett has just graduated from medical school and decided to accept an internship in the coal camp of Skip Rock, Kentucky. Her beau, Paul, is doing his residency in Boston and can’t understand why Lilly would choose to work in a backwater town. But having grown up in the mountains, Lilly is drawn to the stubborn, superstitious people she encounters in Skip Rock—a town where people live hard and die harder and where women know their place. Lilly soon learns she has a lot to overcome, but after saving the life of a young miner, she begins to earn the residents’ trust.

As Lilly becomes torn between joining Paul in Boston and her love for the people of Skip Rock, she crosses paths with a handsome miner—one who seems oddly familiar. Her attraction for him grows, even as she wrestles with her feelings and wonders what he’s hiding.

MY THOUGHTS:
I attempted a previous book by Jan, but felt like I’d tuned into a Walton’s episode a half hour late. I was afraid I’d done the same thing when I agreed to review Skip Rock Shallows and saw that the main character was ‘Lilly Corbett,’ the same Lilly from the book I felt lost in.

Somehow, the books aren’t listed as a series, but they are definitely chronological.

The good thing about Skip Rock Shallows: it felt like a standalone novel to me. Phew! A few things were mentioned about the past that probably would have been easier to understand if I’d read the previous books, but I did not feel lost or confused.

Quite the contrary. I truly enjoyed Skip Rock Shallows.

Lilly Corbett has arrived in Skip Rock, Kentucky to complete her medical internship. Skip Rock’s residents don’t take kindly to a female doctor. Lilly has her work cut out for her, amid mistrust and superstition.

I loved the Kentucky hills setting. I loved Jan’s description of mining life -- although it gave me shivers to think of working in the cold, dark belly of the earth. I loved the tight-knit, down-to-earth people of Skip Rock.

I would have enjoyed a longer ending. The conclusion tied up a bit too quickly for me, needing a longer epilogue....or just another chapter or two! Then again, perhaps Jan has more planned for Lilly in another book?

Skip Rock Shallows was a cozy, curl-up-in-a-blanket-on-a-rainy-day kind of read. I recommend - and it makes me want to go back and attempt rereading Still House Pond!

AND FOR YOU, a peek into the book:
You can read the first chapter of Skip Rock Shallows HERE.

Thank you to Jan and Tyndale Blog Network for sending me a copy to read and review!

Also reviewed on Amazon and Christianbook.



**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**

Promise Me This by Cathy Gohlke

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Michael Dunnagan was never supposed to sail on the Titanic, nor would he have survived if not for the courage of Owen Allen. Determined to carry out his promise to care for Owen’s relatives in America and his younger sister, Annie, in England, Michael works hard to strengthen the family’s New Jersey garden and landscaping business.

Annie Allen doesn’t care what Michael promised Owen. She only knows that her brother is gone—like their mother and father—and the grief is enough to swallow her whole. As Annie struggles to navigate life without Owen, Michael reaches out to her through letters. In time, as Annie begins to lay aside her anger that Michael lived when Owen did not, a tentative friendship takes root and blossoms into something neither expected. Just as Michael saves enough money to bring Annie to America, WWI erupts in Europe. When Annie’s letters mysteriously stop, Michael risks everything to fulfill his promise—and find the woman he’s grown to love—before she’s lost forever.

MY THOUGHTS:
Wow.