"The Christmas Joy Ride"

Melody Carlson

Miranda did not put adventure on her Christmas list, but thanks to her eighty-five-year-old neighbor Joy, that's exactly what she's getting this year. When Joy tells Miranda that she plans to drive an old RV decked out in Christmas decorations from their Chicago neighborhood to her new retirement digs in Phoenix--in the dead of winter, no less--the much younger Miranda insists that Joy cannot make such a trip by herself. Unemployed and facing foreclosure, Miranda feels she has nothing to lose by packing a bag and heading off with Joy toward Route 66. But Joy has a hidden agenda for their Christmas joyride--one that could derail the whole venture.

No one captures the heartwarming fun of the Christmas season quite like Melody Carlson. Fasten your seat belt, because it's going to be an exciting ride!

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"The Christmas Joy Ride" is a beautiful, generous story that promotes true acts of selfless kindness.  This book helps remind us that we could all be more kind, more giving and definitely more selfless.  

While this book was a sweet and easy read, it was kind of slow going.  It wasn't until the very that I felt it picking up and then it just ended.  I wanted to see what was going to happen with Miranda and her new opportunities.

A great read for a winter day or any day.  This book will help you relax and enjoy your "me" time.

Read more about the book here.

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM REVELL PUBLISHERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES. 

 

"'Til We Meet Again"

Ray & Betty Whipps with Craig Borlase

  Ray and Betty Whipps both served in Europe during World War II:  Ray as an infantryman under General Patton in the trenches of Normandy, Paris and Belgium:  and Betty as a field nurse in Cherbourg, France.  They met when Betty tended to Ray after he was injured during a fiery exchange between U.S. and German troops in the Hurtgen Forest.  As Betty nursed Ray back to health, the two bonded over their shared faith and soon fell in love.  Before he was released from the hospital, Ray proposed, and they vowed to marry after the war.

However, soon after Ray returned to his unit, he was captured by German forces and held captive in Stalag VII-A, Germany's largest, most notorious prisoner-of-war camp.  It was there that Ray's faith was put the the ultimate test as he endured the most horrific weeks of his life - weeks marked by brutality, malnutrition, backbreaking labor, and near-constant death.  The only thing that kept him alive was the dream of someday reuniting with Betty.

Told in first person from Ray's perspective, with personal wartime letters from Betty interspersed throughout.  "'Til We Meet Again" is an epic love story of faith, hope, and resilience, set against the backdrop of one of the most extraordinary eras in world history.

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What a beautiful, beautiful story.  I absolutely loved this book.  Ray's and Betty's story wasn't a bed of roses, and it for sure wasn't easy, but it was one that was filled with strength and love.  Their strength and love helped them get through this horrible, tragic time and they drew their strength and love from God.

Only God could have allowed Ray and Betty to have such a miraculous story.  One that we read about all the time in historical fiction and contemporary fiction books, but their story was definitely not fiction! 

Ray Whipps has such a way with words that I felt like I was suffering with him!  He gave you just enough detail to know what was going on and to create a picture, but not too much detail to where you couldn't stand the thought of the situations.

The letters that Betty had written during WWII and shared throughout the book were so neat and special.  It was a darling treasure.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was sad when I came to the end.  

Ray and Betty Whipps' story is one that will encourage you, challenge you and sweep you off your feet.  It will also remind you that God has a plan and purpose for each and everyone of us and not even a world war can prevent it from being fulfilled!

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM TYNDALE PUBLISHERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES. 

 

 "Whispers In The Reading Room"

Shelley Shepherd Gray

Set in Chicago just after the closing of the Chicago World's Fair, "Whispers In The Reading Room" is a page turning historical mystery.  

Lydia Bancroft, who is a librarian, loves her job.  She is in her own world among her beloved friends, which are her books.  

She has noticed a mysterious dark-haired, dark-eyed handsome patron.  He comes to the reading room and immerses himself in reading different books, but he never checks them out to take with him.  Lydia then decides to "save" his current selection for him so when he comes back next time he "conveniently" finds it on the table next to his favorite chair.

While having tea with wither her fiance, Jason Avondale, she finally meets this mysterious stranger as he rescues her from her fiance's violent temper.  This allows them to strike up a fragile friendship.  She then learns that his name is Sebastian Marks and is a very wealthy "gentleman".  But she is shocked when she learns that he is the proprietor of an infamous saloon and gambling club.

Instead of ending their friendship, Lydia insists on visiting his establishment and ends up being suspect in a murder investigation, much to the shock of her mother.  Her mother only wants her to patch things up with Jason Avondale, saying it was Lydia's fault he became angry with her and hurt her.

Lydia must decide who she can trust, who is innocent and if Sebastian Marks - the man so many people fear - is actually everything her heart believes him to be.

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This book shows us the shady side of Chicago.  A side where sin and crime runs rampant.  "Whispers In The Reading Room" is a very different from how Shelley Gray usually writes.  Even though I enjoyed this book I would have like it to have a more spiritual application.  One where Sebastian turns from his life of making money off of people's sins and turns to the Lord.  

This book was written during the time of Billy Sunday, so Marks could have heard Sunday street preaching and changed his life.  

I also didn't like all of the references to prostitution.  I guess Shelley Gray felt she had to include it to make it more authentic, but I felt she could have down played it some.  

Read more about the book here.

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM BOOK LOOK BLOGGERS FOR REVIEW PURPOSES. 

 

"At Love's Bidding"

Regina Jennings

She sells priceless antiques. He sells livestock by the pound. Is he really the man to make a bid for her heart?
After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she’s accidentally sold a powerful family’s prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the people who could ruin them forever, they track it to the Missouri Ozarks and make an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house and all its holdings before the painting can move again.
Upon crossing the country, however, Miranda and her grandfather discover their new auction house doesn’t deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its frustratingly handsome manager, Wyatt Ballentine, is annoyed to discover his fussy new bosses don’t know a thing about the business he’s single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more heads of cattle than they can count–but no mysterious painting–Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and prevent a bad situation from getting worse.

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This historical fiction book is filled with humor, romance and mystery, this book just about covers it all.  

Most of the characters were likable except Cousin Cornelius.  I couldn't stand him.  

I loved how Regina wasn't too good to visit with the other classes in society.  She took the time to teach them about the Bible and tried to help educate them.  That takes a lot of confidence.  Which is why I was confused when her family didn't think she had confidence.  From page one she seemed to have a strong personality, but within the next few pages it seemed to change.

All in all this was an enjoyable read and liked reading from a new author.

Read more about the book here.

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM LITFUSE FOR REVIEW PURPOSES.

 

"A Thousand Shall Fall"

Andrea Boeshaar

A story of love, hope, and healing set in the midst of the Civil War
Nineteen-year-old Carrie Ann Bell is independent and spirited. The only thing she really fears are the Union soldiers fighting against her Confederate friends. When her youngest sister runs away from home, brave Carrie Ann is determined to find her and bring her back. Disguised as a soldier, she sets off–only to find she’s fallen into the hands of the enemy.
Her childhood friend Confederate Major Joshua Blevins has warned her against these Yankees: they’re all devils, ready to inflict evil on unsuspecting young women. When Colonel Peyton Collier arrests her for her impersonation of an officer, it seems to confirm all her fears.
Soon, though, she finds herself drawn to the handsome, gallant colonel. He rescued her, protected her, and has been every inch the gentleman. Carrie Ann discovers that her foe has become her ally–and more than that, someone she could love. But the arrival of Joshua in the Union camp as a spy will test her loyalties. Will she protect someone who has been like family or be loyal to this stranger to whom she wants to offer her heart? When her world is being torn apart around her, whom should she trust?
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, A Thousand Shall Fall is framed around compelling characters and a very romantic setting in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Andrea Boeshaar’s extensive research guarantees historical accuracy and romance genre enthusiasts and Civil War buffs alike will enjoy the Christian perspectives on actual historical events.

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This is my first time reading a book by Andrea Boeshaar and I have found a new author that I like.  Her writing had my attention from the very beginning.  

I appreciate how she gave explanations at the beginning for some of the material in this book, regarding drinking and smoking.  Some authors write about it without explanation and make it seem as if these things are o.k.  I respect Andrea Boeshaar for being upfront about her reasons for including it and that she herself doesn't believe in these things.

Andrea Boeshaar knows how to write historical fiction and make fiction seem real.  

Historical fiction lovers won't want to miss this book!  

Read more about the book here. 

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM LITFUSE FOR REVIEW PURPOSES. 

 

"The Five Times I Met Myself"

James L. Rubart

What if you met your twenty-three-year-old self in a dream? What would you say?
Brock Matthews’ once promising life is unraveling. His coffee company. His marriage.
So when he discovers his vivid dreams—where he encounters his younger self—might let him change his past mistakes, he jumps at the chance. The results are astonishing, but also disturbing.
Because getting what Brock wants most in the world will force him to give up the one thing he doesn’t know how to let go . . . and his greatest fear is that it’s already too late.

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"The Five Times I Met Myself" was very different yet captivating at the same time.  It was a good different.  There was so much imagination throughout the whole thing and at the same you wonder if this could actually happen.  

While reading this book, I was reminded of the movie "It's A Wonderful Life". While the main character always exists in this book, he is still given a gift to see how different things could be.  So he uses that gift and soon realizes that things may have been pretty good as they were.  

This book helped me realize that even though we would like to go back and change some things, we may be taking for granted the good things that we already have.  Also, to make the right decisions.  Brock had a lot of problems with making the wrong decisions, but through the gift that he was given, he finally figured it out.  We must be careful and use wisdom in the decisions that we make as well.  Our decisions not only affect our lives, but those around us.  It really makes you stop and put things into perspective and make sure your priorities are right.

I have to admit, I wasn't sure about this book at first.  It took me awhile to actually start reading it, but once I started, I didn't want to put it down.  I was hooked from the very beginning!

"The Five Times I Met Myself" is a very well written, very thought provoking book.  I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!  

Read more about the book here.

I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY BOOK FROM LITFUSE FOR REVIEW PURPOSES.