The Conqueror by Bryan Litfin REVIEWED

 About the Book:

AD 309. Rome teeters on the brink of war. Constantine's army is on the move. On the Rhine frontier, pagan Germanic barbarian Brandulf Rex joins the Roman army as a spy. Down in Rome, senator's daughter Junia Flavia finds herself embroiled in anti-Christian politics as she works on behalf of the church.

As armies converge and forces beyond their control threaten to destroy everything they have worked for, these two people from different worlds will have to fight together to bring down the evil Emperor Maxentius. But his villainous plans and devious henchmen are not easily overcome.

Will Rex and Flavia live to see the Empire bow the knee to Christ? Or will their part in the story of Constantine's rise meet an untimely and brutal end?

About the Author:

Bryan Litfin is the author of the Chiveis Trilogy, as well as several works of nonfiction, including Early Christian Martyr Stories, After Acts, and Getting to Know the Church Fathers. A former professor of theology at the Moody Bible Institute, Litfin earned his PhD in religious studies from the University of Virginia and his ThM in historical theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is currently a writer and editor at Moody Publishers. He and his wife have two adult children and live in Wheaton, Illinois. Learn more at www.bryanlitfin.com.  

My Thoughts:

"Be strong and courageous, brave warrior...and wait to discover the plans of God."  (p.490)

This novel, The Conqueror, is a majestic piece of literature that sweeps the reader back into the history of the early church.  Rome is the target of conquest, and the warring parties are filled with much darkness and a malevolent greed.

Among all of this, there is a young Speculator named Rex who rises in favor with his general to become a spy.  Embedded in the imperial horse guard, Rex is tasked with gathering intelligence to feed to the Emperor Constantine in his quest to free Rome from the tyrannical rule of Praetorian prefects Pompeianus and Emperor Maxentius.  That storyline alone is RICH!

BUT there is Flavia, a daughter of another aristocratic leader, and also a daughter of King Jesus.  The Christians are still reeling from persecution when they find themselves in the middle of a war they neither want or can ever begin to slow. Flavia finds herself a pawn between rulers and winds up as a fugitive for her very life when Rex intervenes at a particularly deadly moment!

These two characters serve as a rich center point upon which  Litfin builds a saga quite unlike anything I've ever read!  Every character, whether emperor or common slave, comes alive on the page! The passage of time and change in scenario is seamless, and your own life and time passes over you with little notice! (think late nights that you don't mind at all!)  This is such a treasure!!  Greater still...it's the first in a series! You will be so glad you chose to spend time with this novel!  It will change your heart!!

The Sound of Falling Leaves by Lisa Carter - REVIEWED

 About the Book:

After aspiring opera singer Tessa loses her voice in a fire, she needs both a place to heal and a way to keep music in her life. She retreats to her aunt's apple orchard in rural North Carolina to collect folk ballads. But amid the autumn splendor of this isolated Appalachian community, she uncovers an unnerving connection between a murder case and a long-ago disappearance. Tessa gets a glimpse into an almost-forgotten world, encounters a corrupt, small-town political dynasty, and finds superstition and prejudice at every turn.

She's also drawn to Zeke, the handsome but enigmatic orchard caretaker, who shows her that mountain justice is neither impartial nor just. But battling a conspiracy of silence, Tessa isn't sure if she can trust him. Yet somewhere in the mists of the Blue Ridge Mountains, evil lurks, and a killer is determined to keep the past where it belongs--dead and buried.

About the Author:

Lisa Carter is the best-selling author of seven romantic suspense novels, four historical novellas, and a contemporary Coast Guard series. Her book Under a Turquoise Sky won the 2015 Carol Award for Romantic Suspense. Blending Southern and Native American fiction, she likes to describe her suspense novels as "sweet tea with a slice of murder." Lisa enjoys traveling to romantic locales and researching her next exotic adventure. When not writing, she loves spending time with her family and teaching writing workshops. A native North Carolinian, she has strong opinions on barbecue and ACC basketball. Visit her online at lisacarterauthor.com

My Thoughts:

"Ouida sighed, the sound like the rustling of autunm leaves.  'Knowing is a far different thing than having the power to stop it.  Such a power is reserved for God Himself."  (p. 126)

This story combines two very unlikely characters, Tessa, an opera singer by trade, and Zeke, an undercover detective working for her aunt.  The setting is also unusual, an Appalacian community where innocents like Ouida and Tess' Aunt Dicey live, but fail to thrive, because of the dark cloud of evil that reigns over the valley in the form of the Cozart family.  Apparently, this wicked family has extended its power over the people of this town for decades, and they have finally encountered folks who are angry and greived enough to fight for justice - no matter the cost.

Tessa sort of stumbles into this battle when her own life circumstances are dramatically and unalterbly changed through another very dark and untimely tragedy.  The only thing that seems to keep her boueyed to hope and healing are her Aunt Dicey, and her unexpectedly handsome orchard supervisor, Zeke.

Zeke is less than thrilled for an outsider to disrupt his already complicated undercover assignment.  As the story unfolds, there is a depth of human emotion that the reader will find to be as thrilling and heart stopping as the mystery and espionage taking place right under the community's collective noses!  With more twists and turns than the rural roads running through this Appalacian town, the reader will be burning the midnight oil to find out who survives this novel!! Talk about a nail biter!!  

I HIGHLY recommend this story! It is well written, well paced and filled with characters you will want to hold close to your heart.  I know my heart ached for them all at one point or another!! Don't wait to add this book to your reading list!!

Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick REVIEWED

 About the Book:

In 1853, Abigail Scott was a nineteen-year-old school teacher in Oregon Territory when she married Ben Duniway. Marriage meant giving up on teaching, but Abigail always believed she was meant to be more than a good wife and mother. When Abigail becomes the primary breadwinner for her growing family, what she sees as a working woman appalls her--and prompts her to devote her life to fighting for the rights of women, including the right to vote.

Based on a true story, Something Worth Doing will resonate with modern women who still grapple with the pull between career and family, finding their place in the public sphere, and dealing with frustrations and prejudices when competing in male-dominated spaces.

About the Author:

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author of more than 30 books, including One More River to Cross, Everything She Didn't Say, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, and the 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Jane divides her time between Central Oregon and California with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Caesar. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com

My Thoughts:

"Relationships were so unpredictable, and she longed for certainty - certainty she could control." (p. 153)

Abigail Scott Duniway is a name I was unfamiliar with, but is now one I'll not soon forget.  The later part of the 1800's and early part of the 1900's were not easy for anyone, but women seemed to bear the lion's portion of every aspect of family life.  They had little hope of survival at all without a man, and the burden to provide children, and lots of them, was something many didn't survive. Abigail nearly didn't, and somehow I think this was the genesis of her understanding that she had a greater purpose in life than bearing children. 

Kirkpatrick allows the story to unfold naturally through life circumstances, and Abigail's longing for more - more freedom, more autonomy, more ingenuity, more life - keeps her going through all of life's struggles.  It's not long after the harsh reality of the Oregon frontier strikes a few blows that Abigail knows with certainty that is the right to vote - to have your voice heard makes all the difference.

Words become Abigail's voice, her weapon, her wealth as she becomes an active suffragette.  This comes to her over time, and through many avenues of hard work and determination.  She knows beyond a doubt that her husband, Ben, is the greatest source of strength, because he always supports her with a level-headed and calming presence.  She always knew how blessed she and her children were to have him in their lives.

I can't imagine pursuing something for four decades, but Abigail does and lives long enough to see her work come to fruition.  She experienced a lot of heartache and loss along the way, but she never turned aside.  She always struggled relationally with a lot of folks, and she was a bit of a control freak, but those qualities allowed her to pursue her cause tirelessly.  Oh that we all could live our lives so filled with purpose!

Thank you Jane Kirkpatrick for bringing Abigail to vivid life!  This has been an inspiring story to read and enjoy!

A Dazzle of Diamonds by Liz Johnson - REVIEWED

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Penelope Hunter loves her job as the event manager at one of Savannah's premier historic venues--until her ex-fiancé walks into her office with his new bride-to-be. Surely she cannot be expected to plan their wedding. To make matters worse, a scheming social matriarch is threatening to take her big-ticket event elsewhere, especially if Penelope insists on being seen with her best friend, Tucker Westbrook.

Since returning from serving two tours in the Middle East, Tucker has built a thriving security company. His work is nearly as stabilizing as his lifelong friendship with Penelope. But when the lone candidate for county sheriff goads him, Tucker loses his cool and ends up on the ballot--and on the receiving end of a smear campaign claiming the Westbrooks were traitors to the South.

To clear his name, Tucker and Penelope must join forces to find the truth behind a lost Civil War treasure. But the more time they spend together, the closer she comes to losing her job--and falling helplessly in love.

My Thoughts:

"Love is love because it's freely given.  It may cost everything, but it is free to give."  (p. 304)

Penelope Hunter and Tucker Westbrook have a bit of trouble determining what love looks like in their lives. Caught up in community drama, public scrutiny and good 'ole fashioned Southern Tradition, these two find themselves entangled in a personal way that seems way too complicated for anyone's good. On top of that,there is a public office at stake based on a treasure hunt that has gone on for over a century! True to the depth of Southern pride, and the propensity of gossip, a dark shadow is cast over the lives of many!

You know, if I wasn't born and raised in the South, I might have missed some of the nuances of this story.  However, I was able to totally relate to everyone's point of view - from Penelope's stress about her job performance for her very elite clientele, to Tucker's anxiety spawned by his father's expectations.  I even understand the weird dynamic that causes Penelope and Tucker to cook up the drama that almost costs them what matters most.

I love the way they allow history and mystery steer them toward the truth in every area of their lives.  This is a fun and very unexpected read!  There is SO MUCH going on that you have a hard time putting it down! You have to find out where the next clue leads!

Well, I'm going to stop here before I say too much.  If you want a Southern Romance, then pick this up and settle in for a good read!  Enjoy!! I did!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Liz Johnson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Sparkle of Silver, A Glitter of Gold, The Red Door Inn, Where Two Hearts Meet, and On Love's Gentle Shore, as well as a New York Times bestselling novella and a handful of short stories. She works in marketing and makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona.

These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker - REVIEWED

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Once held captive and tortured on a mysterious mountain, Dan was lucky to have made it out alive. But freedom comes at a cost. Left with little memory of the horrific ordeal, Dan can recall one thing--his escape meant leaving his brother behind.

With each day that passes, Dan waits with the other survivors in hope of his brother's escape. But just as long-forgotten memories start rising to the surface, the sudden appearance of a wounded woman throws everything into question. As Dan struggles to know who to trust, he is caught once again in a paralyzing moral dilemma:

How far will he go to save the people he loves?    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shawn Smucker is the award-winning author of Light from Distant Stars, the young adult novels The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There, and the memoir Once We Were Strangers. He lives with his wife and six children in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You can find him online at www.shawnsmucker.com.

My Thoughts:

"It's the kind of place you have to leave on your own.  Everyone who has ever left has battled their way out.  In this place, our guilt consumes us."  p. 203

After reading this book, I've had to sit with its truth for a few days before writing my review.  I'll be honest, when I began reading, I stayed a bit confused by the story line.  I was confused about the location and the circumstances in which I found the characters living.  So, I have to say from the very beginning, stick with this story!!  Everything will become clear as you read.  As you take steps toward understanding, things will become clearer and clearer.  It is SO WORTH the journey!

I know, if you've been reading my blog anytime at all, you know I always intersect with a story at a God appointed moment in my life.  This story intersects my life in a season of growth and change.  Those two words sound amazing, no?  However, they are, in reality uncomfortably hard.  The characters in this story are in that same place, but they don't exactly realize it.  Truth be told, the journey to understand that truth about their lives is a bit circuitous. This is not an action packed thriller.  Rather, this is a story that is personal, individual and challenges us as such to learn to be an honest contributor to the groups we find ourselves a part of....family, church, work, friends.

I encourage everyone to take the time to savor this book. It is very different from most fiction I've read lately. The characters are very believable, and you will like some more than others.  This is an analogous tale, and, as such, needs to be read with an open mind.  Experience it. You will be so glad you did!!

What Momma Left Behind by Cindy K. Sproles - REVIEW

About the Book:
In the face of overwhelming obstacles, she'll need courage, grit, and a tender heart

Worie Dressar is seventeen years old when influenza and typhoid ravage her Appalachian Mountain community in 1877, leaving behind a growing number of orphaned children with no way to care for themselves. Worie's mother has been secretly feeding several of these little ones on Sourwood Mountain. But when tragedy strikes, Worie is left to figure out why and how she was caring for them.


Plagued with two good-for-nothing brothers--one greedy and the other a drunkard--Worie must fight to save her home and the children now in her begrudging care. Along the way, she discovers the beauty of unconditional love and the power of forgiveness as she cares for all of Momma's children.

About the Author:

Cindy K. Sproles is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. An author, storyteller, and popular speaker, Cindy teaches at writers conferences across the country and directs the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in North Carolina. Editor of ChristianDevotions.us and managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, Cindy has a BA in business and journalism and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her family.

My Thoughts:

"Truth can be hard to swaller, and right now I was chokin."  (p.212)

Worrie Dressar's simple life in a remote Appalachian Mountain community was not without its problems.  It turns out that the definition of family was a vast as the mountains themselves.  Worrie has to go through hell and back before that truth becomes known to her.  Her journey to that truth costs her more than she wants to pay, and she must decide, moment by moment, if it is worth the cost.

When I first picked up this novel, I assumed that it would address the ravages of typhoid in rural Appalachia.  Technically, it does, but not in a way I'd have ever dreamed!  Cindy Sproles takes the reader on a very delicate spiritual and emotional journey through the harshest physical, circumstantial circumstances imaginable!  She develops her characters in such a way, that, even though the circumstances are terrible, you are able to feel the impact of the choices Worrie is forced to make as the story unfolds.

There is a strength and wisdom in Worrie's actions that is beyond her years.  Yet, when it is most impactful, she is able to express her overwhelming emotions in a way that will twist your heart in two! Once I recognized what the true treasure was in the story, I found out that I'd misjudged that too.  Sproles carefully weaves depth and breadth into her characters and story line that makes every chapter feel like something new.  

I highly recommend this book!  You will come away satisfied, challenged, and examining your own heart. I think in light of the pandemic and racial unrest in our country right now, this story packs a greater emotional punch!  Enjoy this story!  Prepare your heart to be touched and changed!

Cross Shadow by Andrew Huff - REVIEW and GIVE AWAY!

About the Book:
All journalist Christine Lewis wants is the truth. All pastor John Cross wants is to avoid it.

Former CIA agent turned evangelical pastor John Cross is busy caring for the small community of believers he ministers to in Virginia. Journalist Christine Lewis is busy with the demand for her talents from top news agencies in New York City. Neither has any time left for their relationship, which began eight months before when they paired up to prevent the detonation of a chemical bomb in the nation's capital.

But when Christine hears that her stepbrother has been arrested for murder in Texas, they team up again to discover the truth about the crime. Untangling a web of conspiracy, the couple finds themselves in the center of another dangerous situation-and in trouble far deeper than they expected.


With an assassin on the loose, a trusted colleague acting as a double agent, and unreliable artificial intelligence connected to mercenaries who have Cross on their hit list, these two may not get out of the Lone Star State alive.

About the Author:

Huff spent ten years in local church ministry as a youth pastor and creative arts pastor before pursuing God’s calling into creative storytelling and media production as the product director at Igniter Media, a church media company (ignitermedia.com).

He is a two-time finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Contest for unpublished authors (2014, 2017) and also won the best screenplay award at the 2015 48 Hour Film Festival in Richmond, VA. A Cross to Kill and Cross Shadow in the Shepherd Suspense series are his first releases.

Huff holds a bachelor of science in religion degree from Liberty University and a master of arts in Christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. He resides in Plano, TX, with his beautiful wife, Jae, and their two boys.


Learn more Andrew Huff and the Shepherd Suspense novels at www.andrewhuffbooks.com. He can also be found on Facebook (@huffwrites), Twitter (@andrewjohnhuff) and Instagram (@andyhuff).

My Thoughts:
"Come on. Let's get you cleaned up.  We've got a lot to talk about."  (p, 176)

Christine Lewis finds herself cleaning up a LOT more than any news reporter I've ever heard of!  If I were her, I'd pick a less dangerous profession!  John Cross, her boyfriend, possesses an every stranger combination of skill sets, and seems to be perfectly suited to her very aggressive and  dangerous reporting gigs!

This time, Christine's reporting takes a backseat, because she finds herself trying to save her step brother from being wrongfully charged with murder.  Her reporting skills, combined with John's endless protective and crafty intelligence gathering capabilities, prove to be an unstoppable force to be reckoned with.  As they uncover the depth and breadth of the people determined to profit off the lives of others - alive or dead - it takes every ounce of determination and faith they can muster to survive everything that comes their way.

All along the way, both Christine and John have their personal faith challenged in ways that cause them both heartache and joy.  Anyone brave enough to open this novel better hang on for the ride!  This is a tale that begins with a subtle uptick in danger, but by the end of the novel, the reader is breathless and in need of a good nap!  There are no end to the twists and turns in this plot line! As this is book two of the series, I am now anxious to go back and enjoy the first novel so I'll be ready for the next one!

This is a series that anyone who enjoys a great thrill ride will thoroughly enjoy! I highly recommend this trilogy!! I can't wait to see what happens next!

You can win your own copy of Cross Shadow!  Leave a message in the comments, and I will contact the winner next week!