Cover image and description from Amazon.com

About:

 On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.

Photo and book description from Christianbook.com About the book:  Welcome to your own little confession booth. What would you say if you were completely honest with yourself and with God? It's time to find out. With daring questions, provocative lists, and quirky charts and illustrations, this journal is a place to record all the stuff you'd only tell God: ideas, beliefs, secrets, memories, wonderings, and wishes--things that might seem outlandish or outrageous to anyone else but are what make you you. You'll find the space, the courage, and the help you need to unearth the real you, the you that is sometimes buried deep beneath a layer of self-protection. Where to begin? With your beautifully ruthless honesty.

My Review: 

I love this journal! It has prompts both for fun and for thought, that help you reevaluate your life, your purpose, and the people in it. Jennifer Dukes Lee writes in such a friendly, easygoing way and encourages you to open up and be vulnerable with yourself, God, and others. And I loved the variety of the prompts! Questions as fun as "If your life was a movie, what would be the title? What actors would play you, and the people in your life?" and as thought-provoking as "I understand God better because of these people..." and "A person who understands God better because of me..." (that last one really convicted me!). 

 I do wish that the format of the book was different: coil binding for the spine would make the book so much easier to write in, and a little pen loop would also be helpful. That would make the book more aesthetically pleasing, and more appealing to give as a gift. Either way, though, this is a great gift idea for the writers in your life, and also would be great as a way to encourage someone to start journaling. 

Photo from karenwitemeyer.com Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 5 out of 5 hearts

My Review:

This is such a sweet story! Fairy tale retellings are getting to be pretty popular, so whenever a new one comes along I'm becoming pretty skeptical of the quality and originality. However, fairy tale or not, this is a great story, worthy of ranking up with Karen's best novels! It plays more of a homage to the original Snow White tale than anything, allowing the Western adventure to hold its own while the fairy tale aspects add charm and whimsy, not cheesiness. 

The characters are completely lovable, as well. I loved the elderly ranchers-- amazing dwarf substitutes! Their relationship with Penelope was so sweet, it almost took the stage. 

Almost! Penelope and Titus's relationship was equally charming, and they were such an easy couple to cheer on. 

I could really relate to Penelope. I am also way too trusting, and many times get along with the elderly more than I do people my own age. She was such a mixture, from pliable to determined, and yet not too sweetly perfect to be unrealistic, like so many other princess portrayals. 

If this is going to set the tone for the rest of the Texas Ever After series, I cannot wait to see which magical Western adventures we get to go on next! 

Photo from Christianbook.com

Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 5 out of 5 hearts

Review:

Combining the forces of Marcus Brotherton and Tosca Lee for a WWII novel was a genius idea. Marcus Brotherton, known for his war biographies, brings the gritty reality of the war to life, while Tosca Lee, historical fiction novelist, adds nostalgia and romance. Together, it's a novel of epic proportions and I think this is a duo that needs to collab more often! 

The Long March Home sucks you in and doesn't let go. Just when you think things might get better for our main characters, something else happens to tragically make their lives miserable (basically, it's the book version of Whac-A-Mole), and it really brought to light a lot of the atrocities prisoners in WWII had to go through. It's eye opening and heartbreaking- a ton of different emotions hitting you full force. 

With that in mind, this isn't a light read, not by a long shot. The characters smoke, drink, and swear, although the cussing only appears a handful of times. One character is a womanizer, although the book isn't in his perspective so we don't get any harsh content from there. Go into this book expecting a war novel, not a book that's part of the Christian fiction genre. 

But the harshest part of the novel is the violence. Horrible things are done to the prisoners, and the prisoners in turn are forced to do horrible things to themselves and other people in order to survive. This isn't a book for young teens or those triggered by that kind of violence, but for me, these elements made the story raw and eye opening.  However, personal tip: don't read this book while eating, unless you want to lose your lunch. 

There are plenty of romance aspects to the story, but at its heart, The Long March Home is definitely a story of brotherhood. Jimmy, Hank and Billy are a classic trio of guys who are brothers not by blood, but by friendship, and each of them is uniquely and realistically written. Their goal: to get home alive, all of them, no matter the cost. Brotherhood stories are my favorite, and with this one I was not disappointed. 

Photo from Amazon.com

 Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 5 out of 5 hearts

My Review:

Sarah Sundin's novels are always a breath of fresh air, and I absolutely adored The Sound of Light! 

The story came right when I needed it. I was struggling with confronting someone, and Else was so relatable. I realized if she could find her courage to stand strong during the occupation in WWII, I definitely could as well. 

Henrik and Else are two fabulous, courageous characters, whether alone or together, and both their POVs were captivating. I was previously in a bit of a reading slump, but when I got to The Sound of Light I couldn't stop reading! 

Sarah Sundin weaves an encouraging and thought-provoking message in between the intrigue and espionage of WWII, and The Sound of Light has definitely earned a special place on my bookshelf. 

Photo from Christianbook.com

My Review:

♥♥♥♥ four out of five hearts

 Michael is a normal guy living a normal life -- until one night changes it all. His character is flawed,  relatable, and endearing. Combined with Natalie's smart, quick-witted, and effortlessly cool personality, they make a great combo. I loved Natalie's character- in so many books, a handicapped character is portrayed as a stereotype or a sidekick, but Natalie is no one's sidekick. She marches to the beat of her own drum. 

The messages in the book weren't too heavily handed, either, and shone all the more for their subtlety. I wasn't a fan (at all) of Bartel's last book, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, but I'm glad I decided to give her another chance. Everything is Just Beginning is a realistic story about life and the choices that we make, and the scenes played out in my head like a nostalgic, 1990's movie.