New Author Brings First Century to Life

 

Up From Dust by Heather Kaufman

Mary, Martha and Lazarus are some of the most famous siblings mentioned in the Bible.  Heather Kaufman writes this story from Martha’s point of view, as pieced together from scriptural accounts.  She makes some assumptions to fill in the details of Martha’s life, but the resulting story rings true.  The reader comes away with a renewed appreciation for the relationship the siblings had with each other and with Jesus.  As with good Biblical fiction, this story made me want to pay greater attention to the details mentioned in scripture and it made the familiar story come to life.    

Heather writes beautifully.  The story’s rich details transport the reader to life in Bethany.  And best of all, the story ended with Martha’s heart being healed and her relationship restored with Mary.  I look forward to reading more of Heather’s work to transport me into the first century AD again.  I am grateful to the publisher for this complimentary arc in return for this, my honest review.  

Lovely Children's Book Featuring Israel

 

A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell by Miri Leshem-Pelly

The author invites reader to “explore the landscape of Israel through the small, treasured objects a child finds in nature.”  The tenderly illustrated book takes the reader throughout the landscape of Israel, showcasing beautiful natural features that a child can appreciate.  Laced with facts regarding the topography and natural items, this book is a treasure itself.  As a teacher, I would enjoy sharing it with my students and as a grandmother I look forward to sharing it with my grandchildren, introducing them to a land that I have come to love.

I highly recommend this beautifully written and illustrated book and I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary copy in exchange for this, my honest review.

Lynn Austin's Newest Novel Set in the Gilded Age

 

All My Secrets by Lynn Austin

Set in the Gilded Age, this book traces the lives of 3 women in a well-to-do family.  These women, Junietta, Sylvia and Addy must decide how to proceed now that their son, husband and father is gone and their lives are disrupted.  Will it be a chance to start anew or a scramble to hold onto what they cannot stand to lose?

The author weaves the story of the lives of these three women and their pasts into lessons astute readers will take to heart.  She portrays the heartbreak of lost love, the beauty of second chances and the importance of living a worthwhile life.  The plot steadily carries the story forward while alternating between the three women and their choices.  The reader is kept interested while the background and the secrets of the women are revealed.  The story raises many good questions, causing the reader to think through their own life choices.

As Lynn Austin is one of my go-to authors, I heartily recommend this book.  Readers will enjoy the story and the setting and the life lessons that permeate it.  I am grateful to the publisher for the complimentary copy of this ebook, in exchange for this, my honest review.

 

Unusual but very enjoyable story

 

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell

Miss Clara Marie Stanton is known to her loving grandfather as Little Atlas because she often carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Living in the mid 1800’s, she is terrified that something horrible will happen to her family, especially if the word gets out about her uncle and his disgraceful demise.  The rest of the family is quite unique with her mother an animal rights activist who can’t pass up a stray and her grandfather who is an inventor of automatons including butterflies and a huge flying owl.  As she seeks to protect her family, her grandfather leads her on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe.  She attempts to follow his clues while staying ahead of her former fiancé who wants nothing more than to use her family for his own nefarious purposes.

There were many things that made this book unique and entertaining.  The automatons were a fun surprise.  The many interesting locations in the book were fascinating.  The characters were quirky, a definite plus for this reader.  And the vocabulary was delightful, often requiring me to use the look up feature in my kindle.

Readers who enjoy a witty read with unexpected elements, a bit of romance, and lovable characters who grow spiritually are sure to enjoy this book.  I received a complimentary copy from the publisher in return for this my honest review.

 

Recipes and Relationships

 The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Nikki Werner is at her wits end to know what to do with her life.  Her father has divorced her mother and according to a social media post, has recently remarried.  She is confused and afraid to move forward with her own relationship with her boyfriend, Isaac.  After school is out for the summer, she takes off for her grandmother’s farmhouse and her Uncle Wes, a virtual stranger.  The summer away, time with her relatives and her grandmother’s handwritten recipes help her to rediscover her roots and mend the broken places in her life.

This book contains some endearing characters.  Uncle Wes and Joyce were some of my favorites.  I loved how Nikki matured and came to understand her father better through the stories of her relatives.

The plot and characters kept me engaged with the book and provided a satisfying ending.  I think other readers will enjoy this book also, especially those who have experienced broken family relationships and need the hope of reconciliation.  I am grateful to the publisher for the complimentary copy of this digital book in exchange for my honest review.

New to me author

 

An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann

Melanie is a second-generation immigrant from Columbia.  She just doesn’t understand her mother until she receives an assignment to visit Columbia and write a story about the drug problem there.  Her mother insists that she visit her grandmother in Cali and Melanie’s life takes a drastic turn.

This was an enjoyable story, but one to which I really couldn’t relate.  But not everyone will be able to say that. With so much of our political life focused on the many immigrants who have recently entered our nation, this book has an important viewpoint for people like me who don’t have an immigrant experience in their recent past.  It was a valuable story in that it showed me the human element of illegal immigration.

The characters showed growth, especially Melanie, and the plot moved along nicely even though the ending was not a total surprise.  All in all, it was a satisfying read which conveys an important message of empathy towards others who walk a different path in life from ours.

I received this book in exchange for this, my honest review and I thank the publisher for their generosity.

 

Jamie Langston Turner's latest book

 

Every Ocean Has a Shore by Jamie Langston Turner

This book is one of the few on my blog that I haven’t received in return for an honest review.  Jamie Langston Turner is one of my favorite authors and I just had to purchase this book and include it on my blog.

True to form, this book moves at a leisurely pace so that the reader becomes very invested in the lives of each of the characters.  Gary, Fawna, and Alice are bound together by a near tragedy and despite going their separate ways, they maintain a friendship in which they each grow and develop as people.

Jamie has developed a wonderful cast of characters in her many novels and I was pleased to meet Eldeen, Jewel and Willard again.  It was like visiting old friends after years of absence.  And now I consider Gary, Fawna and Alice friends, too, and hope to meet them again in another book.

Jamie’s books stimulate the interest of the reader in the personalities and quirks of fellow humans.  She can make a character reading a National Geographic magazine seem fascinating.  I could also identify with the inner thoughts of the characters because they were so well expressed.  And at the risk of giving away a spoiler, I was truly sad with Eldeen’s death.  I was looking forward to seeing her in another book.

Although her books don’t beat the reader over the head with a Bible, the message of salvation and faith is quietly present as the characters make their way to God.  The love that they show to each other, and their families is a testament to their faith.  These elements make reading her books an uplifting experience that many readers would enjoy.  I enthusiastically recommend this book and her former ones as well.