Wednesday, February 29, 2012


For some reason, I was under the impression this was a modern tale.  I soon found out I was mistaken.  This story is a Western that takes place in 1850’s Northern California.  Emma Jacobs is kidnapped while her husband is out of town.  Will Jacobs, sheriff of Stone Ridge, will stop until he finds her.
I enjoyed the story this book brought forth.  The main characters are not perfect, but have a great faith in Jesus as their Savior, trusting in Him throughout their trials.  I do wish the other characters had more depth to them.  However, I would classify the book as a Western, and it reminded me a bit of the Western movies from the 50’s and 60’s.  Character development wasn’t necessarily the point of the story, but showing that good will win against evil and the hero will save the day.  There were quite a few places were the dialogue just didn’t seem natural.  A scene would shift its focus abruptly, without giving any indication that you were about to go off in a different direction.
It is my opinion this book needed to go through editing a couple more times before publication.  But in spite of the mostly technical kind of issues, I was truly interested in finishing the book to find out if Emma and Will are reunited.

For more information about this book click here or the title above!
This book was provided to me free of charge from the BookCrash program in exchange for and honest review.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Delightful Story



This is the first novel written by Julie Klassen I have read, but it will not be the last.  I really enjoyed reading this story.  The author’s bio notes that she “loves all things Jane—Jane Eyre and Jane Austen”, and I think the Austen influence shines through.    I truly did not want to put this book down.


The story follows Margaret, a privileged young woman, who is being coerced into marrying someone she loathes.  If she can hold out a few more months she will receive an inheritance that will provide for her for the rest of her life, without having to depend on a husband.  Margaret makes a hasty decision to flee and go into hiding.  But without any forethought to what will happen to her, she ends up as a housemaid for the man whose marriage proposal she rejected years before.


As the story progresses, Margaret does a lot of growing up, going from spoiled girl to humble young woman, in a way that reminded me of Jane Austen’s Emma.  Again, a wonderful story and well worth the time spent reading it.


The epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter give insight into how the servants were to behave, etc., and I loved reading them.  As an added note, if you are interested in how the life of a country house was run during early 19th century, check out PBS series, Regency House Party. 
To learn more about this story click here or on the title above!
This book was provided free of charge by Bethany House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

A Great Little Story About Seeing Things Through



Gabby God’s Little Angel  Stick-to-it Day by Sheila Walsh


This book is based on the Scripture, “We must not become tired of doing good.  We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time.  We must not give up!” Galatians 6:9 ICB.  So many of need this reminder on a daily basis.  As a people we seem to lack diligence.  If we do not like doing something we just give up.  Little Sophie has that problem.  If something proves to be hard or if she gets distracted, she just stops the job or project in the middle and goes on to something else.

In comes little Gabby.  She is the angel in charge of Sophie.  Gabby watches as Sophie goes from one chore to the next without bothering to finish one of them.  Gabby helps Sophie recall what she has learned from the Bible about seeing things through.  Of course, Sophie shapes up after that.

This is a cute book with adorable illustrations and a great lesson.
I received this book free of charge through NetGalley.

Saturday, February 11, 2012

A Heart Full of Pride has to Yield to find its Treasure




Miss Shannon Adair is a true daughter of the South in the middle of the Civil War.  A bit on the spoiled side and a lot on the stubborn side, she finds purpose in nursing wounded soldiers in her home state of Virginia.  That is until her father, a minister, is hired for a church in Grand Coeur, Idaho, a world away from Virginia and the war.  Shannon is not pleased, to say the least.

Shannon ends up nursing a terminal woman who lost her husband while he was fighting for the Union.  A staunch Confederate, Shannon thinks it will be impossible to befriend this woman and her family.  Matters are complicated when the dying woman decides Shannon is the best person to marry her brother, whom Shannon despises.

This story is a very good story with the usual romantic misunderstandings between the two main characters.  And while you have a good idea of how things are going to work out in the end, the journey getting there is enjoyable and worthwhile.
Click here or the title above for information about this book!

I received this book free of charge from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Great Encouragement for Mothers of all Ages




This is a great devotional for busy Moms and even Grandmothers.  The entries are concise and to the point.  They can be read within a few minutes and are perfect for those few minutes of quiet time you get during the day, whether you are working outside the home or a stay-at-home Mom.  The subjects are obviously mostly about being a Mother and your relationship with your children.  However, the author realizes that is not our sole role in life and addresses other relationships and areas of life.
As I said, it is a great way to grab some quick encouragement and would be a wonderful gift for any Mother.  If you haven’t already, you should look into A Mom After God’s Own Heart Bible study, also from Harvest House Publishers.


For more information about this book click here or the link above!


I received this book free of charge from Harvest House Publishers through NetGalley for an honest opinion.

Monday, February 6, 2012

I Must Admit a Particular Fondness for This Devotional

A Jane Austen Devotional





I am not sure it is fair to have taken such pleasure in reading this devotional book.  Each devotion starts with an excerpt from Jane Austen’s novels; each book is represented throughout.  The scenes are followed, not by some trite piece of advice, but a thoughtful discourse on how the person in each scene was either obeying biblical principles or not, anchored by appropriate Scriptures to back up the point.

I truly could did not stop reading this book every time I picked it up.  Jane Austen’s novels are all about relationships, for better or worse.  I found it interesting to view a scene from a novel set apart from the whole and see how the characters at a given time were behaving in a godly way or not.

The audience for this book is obvious.  If someone has not read the books, or at the very least seen good theatrical versions, a person will not get as much from this.  However, this would be a good way to introduce someone who loves Austen’s works to the Bible.
Click here for more information on this book!

I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.