Photo and book description from Amazon.com

About the Book: 

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

My Review:

Sarah Sundin is the queen of WWII fiction. She is a master at exploring and uncovering different aspects of the Greatest Generation, and making a gripping story out of sometimes little-known history. 

Embers in the London Sky stars Hugh, a BBC radio correspondent, and Aleida, a Dutch evacuee who is searching for her missing son. Aleida's search for her little boy, Theo, is what much of the plot is cenetered around, and really brought to light the struggles of English parents during the Blitz and the agonizing choices they had to make. 

I loved both characters so much, and their fun banter made for an entertaining read. Sarah Sundin tends to stay away from the typical plot and character stereotypes that many authors fall into, and I love how multi-layered her characters are. 

I laughed, cried, and eagerly turned the pages to see what would happen next. Another brilliant novel from Sarah Sundin! 

 

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 via GoodReads.com

My Review:

 Joanna Politano's books have a special place on my bookshelf. Her style is unique and unmatched, and never fails to draw me in. There's an element of mystery and intrigue in each story, which is why I was so excited to see that The Lost Melody was releasing in October, just when I'm in the mood for something complex (and just a tad creepy).

Politano's words are lyrical and meaningful, and if I had a highlighter I'd probably have underlined most of the novel. Vivienne is such a great character, and I felt as if I journeyed and changed with her as her circumstances and perspective changed. However, that was also kind of a bad thing, as for the first half of the book I felt as trapped as Vivienne in the dark, old asylum. I struggled to get into the story, but after the first half it got better and I was able to appreciate and enjoy the book. 

While this book was not my favorite of Politano's, it was definitely not a disappointment and left a lot of light and beauty behind in its wake. 

 

Photo from ChristianBook.com

♥♥♥♥ = Four out of five hearts

Review:

Luke Davenport is the last of the Horsemen to have his story featured, and he is paired with the supposedly plain, bookish spinster, Damaris Baxter. It's easy to relate to Damaris. She's quiet, demure, and doesn't consider herself to be very pretty, which I certainly struggle with feeling from time to time. Luke, however, doesn't see her that way, but instead sees what most people don't- the unique, beautiful woman she really is. Quiet people tend to be overlooked, so I love that discerning Luke sees her, actually sees who she is, as soon as he meets her. 

The story itself has a good bit of action, as you would expect from a Horsemen novel, and the best part involved one or two (or more ;) ) of our favorite ex-calvary men. At some points  the story did feel a bit typical of the romantic western genre, but overall it was a charming book with a definite dash of danger and mystery. 

Photo from Goodreads.com

About: 

There's nothing Ella Blythe has wanted more than to dance in a theater. So she's thrilled when she finally gets her chance at Craven Street Theater- the very same theater where, years ago, a famous ballerina met her tragic end. As time goes on, however, Ella begins to realize that her life is starting to mirror that of the dead ballerina's- eerily so. 

Ella's life has now just gotten a lot more complicated. Ballet is a competitive, and sometimes vicious, career, and once you've entered it, there's no going back. An old memory draws her closer to principle dancer, the mysterious, handsome Phillipe, but with the past haunting her, will all her dreams die?

My review:

Today when I think of ballet I think of hard work, beauty, the celebrity that comes with being a renowned ballerina, and lots of pink. However, the world of ballet in the 1800s was a hard, competitive world where ballerinas were seen as ruined and disgraced outside of the theater. Under Joanna Politano's pen and imagination, that dark world comes to life in A Midnight Dance. 

I just can't describe to you how much this book made me feel. I actually procrastinated for awhile on this review because I love this story so very much, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do the beauty of it justice. Only the best  books leave me breathless, and A Midnight Dance is up there at the top. 

There's so much to love about it, but some of the best things are the characters, particularly the heroine- flawed but beautiful, who captured me from page 1 with her artistic, beauty-loving soul. Then there's the one who will earn her heart (who, might I add, just set my standard for a boyfriend very high!); and the myriad of other characters whose stories are as varied and layered as the heroine's and hero's. 

 As I read Mrs. Politano's latest, I was struck, as I always am, at how unique and fresh her voice is in the Christian fiction world. If there were several passages from different books sitting in front of me, I'd know instantly which was written by her. You truly never know what's going to happen when you pick up a Joanna Davidson Politano novel. Her mind for storytelling is amazing, and the imagery she paints makes her a true artist. 

I voluntarily received this book from the publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.

About: 

My Review: 

 Words have a big impact on how we live our lives. They either give confidence and love, or discouragement and uncertainty, and this is a big theme in Joanna Davidson Politano's latest novel.

There's no other voice in the Christian fiction world like Joanna Davidson Politano. Her tone is mysterious and leaves you hanging, is full of twists and turns, and you never know how the story's going to end. You usually know who the heroine's going to end up with, but that's definitely not the case here. I was on the edge of my seat rooting and hoping that a certain quiet horse trainer would end up stealing Willa's heart (did he? Well, read it and find out!).

All of the characters are nuanced and deeply layered. Nothing is as it seems (especially love), which Willa is definitely about to find out! Even the not-quite-as-lovable characters come off as relatable and you can see their standpoint and why they've chosen to be like they are.

This book is mysterious and will leave you guessing from page to page, but that's not the best thing about it. The best thing is the theme- how words can greatly impact our lives, for good and for evil, and Politano portrays this so beautifully and impactfully in this book.

There are books that are really good and deserve five stars, and then there are the books that are just so poetically, lyrically brilliant that they leave you speechless and wanting more, and deserve so much more than five measly stars. This book definitely falls in the latter category. Joanna Davidson Politano's best yet!

(Also, can BBC take note of this book? I can definitely see this becoming an acclaimed BBC drama TV show!)

Peyton's life has been good, for the most part. He's never lacked for anything, his parents love him and each other dearly, and at fifteen he's pretty sure he's met the girl for him. But every life has its shadows, and Peyton's world is about to be overturned. His father came back from the war battling inner demons, his big, prominent family is unstable at its core, and his sweetheart's parents feel that a separation would be good for them.

Peyton's got to get away, so he decides to copy what his father did many years ago- he will ride his bicycle down the Florida coast to the Key West. This trying journey will turn Peyton from boy to man, introduce himself to many different people and cultures, and change his life forever.

Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger's Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler's bullet leaves one of them at death's door, they're the ones in need of saving.

Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she's not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew Hanger's dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine's respect, and when she hears of her brother's abduction, he becomes her only hope for rescue.

Matt has stared down ruthless outlaws, betrayal, and injury, but when a bossy lady doctor crawls under his skin, his heart is tempted to surrender. And when she is caught in the crossfire, he may have to sacrifice everything--even his team--to save her.

Description & photo from karenwitemeyer.com


It's always so exciting to see another Karen Witemeyer book coming out. Adventure, faith and a dash of humor are her trademarks, and "At Love's Command" is no different. The Horsemen definitely deliver- they're also kind of Robin Hood's Merry Men in the 1800's, and I love it!

At first I was a bit skeptical. The beginning didn't capture my attention and I was curious as to how the rest would play out, though I needn't have worried. Once Hanger's Horsemen set out on their adventure, I was hooked. 

Matt is serious and not easily moved. Josie is lively and determined- and also not easily moved. They clash a lot, and it was really interesting to watch (so to speak) and see whose will would win out. It also made for an interesting romance, since as a former cavalry officer, Matt isn't accustomed to his word being stood up against. 

Josie's brother is in danger, and a smitten Matt will do anything to help her. I love any story with sibling themes, and Josie's determination to save Charlie- in more ways than one- is very relatable to me. 

All of the characters are very unique separately, and unstoppable together. I love the Horsemen's brotherhood, and can't wait to see what the rest of the series will bring! 

Because of where I'm from, mountain stories have a special place in my heart. However, I don't like how typical they can be, making the "mountain folk" illiterate, stupid backwoodsmen who can't talk right. (To be fair, a special way of speaking runs in that heritage, and a lot of people from the mountains never had the opportunity -or need- to learn to read and write). Pepper Basham's family is from the mountains of North Carolina, and she bases her story on real-life happenings. Her characters, in turn, are fun, interesting and relatable, and she honors her heritage in her writing. Laurel and Jonathan= one of my favorite book pairings! They're both pretty cool characters, and I loved their sweet interactions. Their traipses through the mountains together always made for a sweet moment. The time period is World War I, but Jonathan has been turned away from service due to an old injury. Likewise, Laurel's family deep in the mountains aren't impacted quite like the rest of the world in how the war has changed their lives. It was interesting to get a different, more hands-off view of the war, seeing how life was then for different cultures. Nothing ends perfectly with the rest of the characters, which I always love, because what in life turns out perfectly packaged? However, in the acknowledgements Pepper Basham promises us another story (yay!), so I'll be on the lookout! I voluntarily received this book from the author and publisher in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.

The first thing to say about this book is that it seems to be very biblically and  historically accurate. Mesu Andrews has definitely done her research! You feel like you really are witnessing the rise and fall of kings during the days before Jesus walked the earth- a good thing, in that it's informative and interesting at the same time, but, as I'll explain more later, it can also be a bad thing.

Meshullemeth's story starts out when she's only eight years old, and she's such a sweet, adorable, incredibly mature kid! It's hard not to feel an attachment to her, in fact, and Manasseh is equally adorable. Their little friendship is the cutest! It's as they grow older, though, that I started to feel more distant towards them.

Of course, it's bound to happen. As we all know from our Bible readings, Manasseh is going to become one of the most evil kings to sit on the throne of Judah, and you can't help but feel sorry for whatever lies he is believing. But I just lost touch with the story, and mainly kept on for the sake of reading the ending. Shulle and Nasseh's relationship turned to be more lustful than sweet, and, as a very visual reader, it was uncomfortable to read. I got tired of all the allusions to intimacy. Also, I know it's a fact that kings married young back then and were basically considered men, but as a modern-day reader, it was really awkward for me to read, especially when I remembered that my younger brother is basically the same age as Nasseh.

This was a dark time in Israel's history, and it shows. There's not a lot of light to be seen, and I tried to read as fast as possible in order to get to the end quicker. In the whole book, my favorite part would have to be the beginning, before everything started to go so wrong, and then the end, even though it took awhile to get there- and even then it was over quickly.

Isaiah's Legacy is haunting, realistic, and hard to read. My sister thought the themes in the book were handled with care, and were portrayed in the best way possible. I agree- to a point. While I respect way it was handled, the darkness and constant references to physical intimacy made this one book I'll probably not be rereading.

I voluntarily received this book from the author in order to write an honest review. All opinions are truly my own.