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Dear Readers,

There is a new book releasing from Baker Publishing in October. Lady Jayne Disappears by Joanna Davidson Politano has been a wonderful read full of intrigue and mystery.  Her characters are rich and easy to love or hate as you need to.  But there was a quote that fits reading very early on in the book and after reading it, the quote has stuck with me.

” And the Maiden found her escape into books, the worlds created by the pen of some stranger who would creep into her mind and and rearrange the furniture.”

If that is not the perfect description of what reading a good book is like I don’t know what is.  Look for the book to hit the shelves soon.

Happy Reading.

Book club – New title

Dear Readers,

Hope you enjoyed our little summer vacation.  I know I did.

Finding a new book has had me a bit stumped.  I wasn’t sure which way to go and then we received a little book from P&R publishers.  I know for you that doesn’t mean much but for me it does because we seldom get any fiction from them as they are more an Academic type publisher.

Anyways, I picked Johanna and Henriette Kuyper – Daring to change their world by Abigail van Der Velde.  I took it aside to read and found myself intrigued by the topic and decided it might be interesting to find out what others think of the lives behind the man, Abraham Kuyper.

So we will step into the 1800’s when things are changing and learn from two women who may not have set out to change their world, but they did.  Sometimes at great risk to themselves and their reputation.

Happy Reading.

Rachel Hauck

Dear Readers,

 

The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck was such an enjoyable heart warming story.  It is the mixture of contemporary and historical and I found myself lost in each time period that when the story would switch over I would think, “oh no I want to continue that storyline.”  But of course I was soon lost in the next one and was totally enjoying myself.

The contemporary is about Tenley.  She is the daughter and great granddaughter of award winning authors and seems to be following in their footprints with her first release being a mega hit.  Everyone is eagerly awaiting book #2, the problem is is she has writer’s block. She can’t find a way around it.

 

Bridie is from the 1900’s and all she wants to do is write.  In fact she has submitted her first manuscript, which the publisher seems to have missed placed.  Her mother has other plans, Bridie must marry well.  With well meaning marry into a family that will help their standing in the community.

I personally hope that Rachel continues to write books like this.  Some romance, (which is sweet), some challenges to our thinking ( why is the status quo the only way to do things) and a faith that shines through in a quiet way.  This is not a edge of your seat mystery, but you want to continue reading because you have become attached to the characters and their lives.  Then when you hit that last page, you will find yourself wishing for more and that is what a good book should do.  Always leaving you wishing for more.

Happy Reading,

 

New Release – Sweetbriar Cottage

Sweetbriar Cottage – Dennis Hunter

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job and settled at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

New Releases July 10 – 15

Dear Readers,

Halfway through July and the title keep rolling in.  I have no way to stay ahead of them all, but I sure am giving it a good try.  Do you have any titles that you have read recently that you think should be on everyone’s TBR pile?

Happy Reading,

Beneath Copper Falls – Colleen Coble – #6 Rock Harbor Novel – As a 911 dispatcher, Dana Newell takes pride in being calm in tough circumstances. In addition to her emotionally-charged career, she’s faced enough emergencies in her own life. She recently escaped her abusive fiancé to move to tranquil Rock Harbor where she hopes life will be more peaceful.  But the idyllic town hides more danger and secrets than it first appeared. Dana is continually drawn to her new friend Boone, who has scars inside and out. Then she answers a call at her job only to hear a friend’s desperate screams on the other end. Soon the pain in her past collides with the mysteries of her new home—and threatens to keep her from the future she’s always wanted.

Ascension of Larks – Rachel Linden – Free-spirited and fiercely independent, Maggie adores her life of travel and adventure. But she has a secret. She can’t let go of her first and only love, renowned architect Marco Firelli, now married to her best friend Lena.  When Marco drowns in a kayaking accident, Maggie rushes to the Firelli family’s summer home on San Juan Island. Once there she discovers that Marco was hiding something that could destroy his family. As fragile, perfectionistic Lena slowly falls apart, Maggie tries to provide stability for Marco and Lena’s three young children.

Fly Away – Lynn Austin – Re-release – Wilhelmina Brewster has been a college music professor for 41 years, devoting her life to her career and never marrying. Now, after her forced retirement at age 65, she is mourning her loss and searching for something to fill the empty hours. Widower Mike Dolan is a pilot and World War II veteran who has always lived life to the fullest. When medical tests confirm that his cancer has returned, he makes plans to take a final flight in his airplane rather than become a burden to his family. Wilhelmina accidentally learns of Mike’s final plans, and when she discovers that he isn’t a believer, she knows it’s her Christian duty to talk with him about her faith. But although she has been a lifelong Christian, she feels totally inadequate for the task of witnessing to an unbeliever. Mike and Wilhelmina are two very different people—one figuring out how to live, the other how to die. Yet they will find themselves journeying together as they search for answers to life, loss and faith in God.

Beloved Hope – Tracie Peterson – #2 Heart of the Frontier – Hope Flanagan survived the massacre at the Whitman Mission, but at terrible personal cost. Safe now in Oregon City, she lives with her sisters, Grace and Mercy, and Grace’s new husband, Alex. As she spends her days tending their flock of sheep, Hope’s mind and soul are slowly healing. Yet, though she was once surrounded by suitors, she has no interest in giving her heart again after the man she loved died in her arms.  Hope’s precarious new peace is shattered when those responsible for the massacre are captured and put on trial. She is asked to testify against them, but she’s not sure she can bear to relive the events of those horrific days.

On Love’s Gentle Shore – Liz Johnson – #3 Prince Edward Island Dreams – Fifteen years after she left Prince Edward Island, Natalie O’Ryan had no plans to return. But when her fiancé, music producer Russell Jacobs, books their wedding in her hometown and schedules a summer at Rose’s Red Door Inn, she sets out to put the finishing touches on the perfect wedding. But she can’t possibly prepare for a run-in with Justin Kane–the best friend she left behind all those years ago after promising to stay.

A Name Unknown – Roseanna M. White – #1 Shadows over England – Rosemary Gresham has no family beyond the band of former urchins that helped her survive as a girl in the mean streets of London. Grown now, they concentrate on stealing high-value items and have learned how to blend into upper-class society. But when Rosemary must determine whether a certain wealthy gentleman is loyal to Britain or to Germany, she is in for the challenge of a lifetime. How does one steal a family’s history, their very name?

The Writing Desk – Rachel Hauck – Tenley is trying to fill some very large shoes.  Not only has she written a runaway best seller, she is the daughter of the famous Conrad Roth and the great great granddaughter of Gordon Phipps Roth, both best selling authors in their time.  She is afraid people will realize she is a fraud and know she can’t write.  Will a woman who lived a century before her be able to help Tenly find her way?

Book Worm problems

Dear Readers,

Some of these ‘problems’ I have and some I don’t.  In fact I wasn’t going to claim #1 but my daughter reminded me I have two copies of Redeeming Love so I don’t have to loan one out and chance not having it on the shelf.

*Sigh* I thought I was doing better.  🙂

Happy Reading,

1. Owning more than one copy of your favorite book(s) You have to own the hardcover because of how much prettier it is than the paperback (and the pages are nicer too), but you also need the ebook because you may get the urge to read it one more time and so you must always have access to it. 2. Keeping a book with you at all times There’s a book in your bag, a few in your car, and multiple apps on your electronic device—you never know when you’ll need one! Everywhere you go, you remember to have a book with you in case you have a long wait or are stuck in an awkward situation. 3. Trying to figure out what book a person is reading without appearing to stare Admit it. We’ve all done it. You’re walking down the sidewalk and see someone sitting on a bench reading. You try to be subtle when you glance at their book but someone always ends up notice that you’ve slowed down or turned your attention elsewhere. At that point, you give up and stop or bend your head to make out the title. 4. Being careful about spending money on essentials but splurging on books You always go the cheap route when it comes to buying groceries, cleaning supplies, and clothes. You’ve even considered if paying the electric bill for the month is necessary because you can read by candle light, right? Though, when it comes to buying books money usually isn’t an issue. You can definitely afford to pay the extra money for the hardcover copy and you may as well buy the rest of the books in the series since you’re already there. 5. Solving a plot twist before it’s revealed and feeling like Sherlock Holmes You knew that character was suspicious from the beginning and then they say something that supports your suspicions—you’re convinced they’re the murderer! Then their true identity is revealed and for a second you wonder if you chose the wrong career path because you’d make an excellent detective. 6. Having mixed feelings about starting a book you’ve been anticipating to read You really want to read this new release but then you realize if you start it now, you’ll never be able to read it for the first time again! Then, you will reach the end and the entire experience will be over and you will fall into book separation depression. So, you decide to hold it for a little while and then read as slowly as possible so you can enjoy every word of it. 7. Smelling your new books You crack open your new book and the smell of paper and ink that wafts in the air is the definition of pure happiness. Then, you bury your face in the pages for the full book-smelling experience. Who cares who is watching? It’s one of the greatest things about opening a new book! 8. Owning a wide array of bookmarks but never using them You have a whole collection of bookmarks that you love but you never use because you’re either afraid of using them and losing them or you simply just forget. Instead you have receipts, gum wrappers, recipe cards, or whatever you can get your hands on in the moment to mark your place…but you never dog-ear a book! 9. Talking about fictional characters as if they’re real You’re chatting with one of your friends about your weekend and you recall a funny story that happened to another friend. Only to realize after the fact that this “friend” was in fact a fictional character in a book you recently read. Oh well. You’re as close to your fictional friends as your real friends, anyway. 10. Telling yourself “just one more chapter” when you should really be sleeping You have to be up in five hours but you remind yourself that whether you were reading or not, you’d be awake either way, because your mind is racing trying to figure out what is going to happen next! Will you regret it in the morning? Probably. You remind yourself that you can always drink another cup of coffee with extra shots of espresso and all will be well. Don’t be ashamed if you relate to one or more of these. There’s nothing wrong with any of these situations, because reading is one of the best hobbies you can have. You are given the chance to time travel and live multiple lives in various eras, countries, and lifestyles anytime and anywhere you want. There isn’t a hobby that compares to reading, so enjoy your bookish lifestyle and try to make a dent in that TBR stack that’s waiting for you!

Book Club questions

Dear Readers,

So anyone else ready to take a road trip with me?  Personally I am ready to walk some mountain paths and explore Mount Rainier.

I want to ask, what do you think of a book that is considered a lighter read including topics like this one did?  Do you think every book needs to have a topic in it or can there just be books that are written just for enjoyment only?

Personally I didn’t mind it.  I thought it was handled well.  It reminded me that abuse can happen to anyone and does happen in all levels of society. Maybe not

Thanks for sharing.

Happy Reading.