The Rose and the Thistle by Laura Frantz REVIEWED

About the Book:

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

My Thoughts:

"Lady Hedley would nae more agree to wed me than she would the pirate Blackbeard" (p. 186)

Everard Hume becomes Lord Welderburn upon the death of his father, but Lady Blythe Headley sees naught but a prison guard keeping her locked away from life and liberty.  However, the fact that her own father has placed her in hiding for her safety keeps her willing to stay on in a Scottsman's castle. She remains in willful denial that a war between Catholic Jacobites and Protestants bode ill for all that brush up against its growing tumult - up until it explodes into her own life!

Lady Blythe's world is abruptly upended, so I found it easy to believe she would barely tolerate being hidden away from the world for long.  A learned scholar in her own right, her mind is quick to intuit ways to break out of her imposed solitude.  Once she does, she wins the hearts of all she meets - with the lone exception of the traitor among the family.

This novel moves believably and rapidly from scene to scene - chapter to chapter! Lovers of historic fiction/romance will literally devour this book!  Everard and Blythe are the perfect focal point of the story, and their relationship unfolds as tempestuously as the rebellion building in the world around them.  Orin, one of Everard's many brothers, makes a sweet counterpoint to all the mystery and intrigue that swirls about him!  Laura Franz never ceases to amaze me!! Bravo!!

About the Author:

Laura Frantz is a Christy Award winner and the ECPA bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Frontiersman's Daughter, Courting Morrow Little, The Lacemaker, and A Heart Adrift. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a career firefighter. A direct descendent of George Hume of Wedderburn Castle, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion, Laura lives with her husband in Washington State. Learn more at www.laurafrantz.net.

Jar of Pennies by John Yearwood

 About the Book:

In the summer of 1979, the small town of Whitmire Texas—deep in the eastern piney woods of the state—is rocked by a series of murders None of the victims knew one another, none lived close by. A police chief floats to the surface of a lake, hooked on a trot line; a divorcing wife apparently overdoses on illegal drugs; the skeletons of a young mother and her three-year-old toddler are found near an abandoned barn; a Congressman is murdered in a shoot-out at his home, which also claims the lives of two drug pushers from Houston and a used car dealer. 

The sleepy private town of Whitmire is terrified and the town's newspaper publisher is determined to bring the mystery to a resolution. BoMac—short for Beaufort Sebastian Maclean—is a young University of Virginia dropout devoted to journalism and committed to chronicling the life of the little community. He takes the publishing job at the weekly Whitmire Standard very seriously, pouring his life into a job that demands he not only write the news but also take the photos and sell the ads. In the fraught atmosphere of Whitmire where daily routines are thrown off kilter by the unknown terror, he keeps his eyes open and finally spots a jar of pennies: the evidence that clenches the death sentence for the killer.

About the Author:

Former stringer for the New York Times, John Yearwood taught in high schools and universities for 30 years, and was an award-winning journalist for 15 years. He has published hundreds of editorials and columns and thousands of news stories, as well as academic works on the First Amendment and the extra-Constitutional powers of the Presidency during times of crisis. After retiring in 2012, he now volunteers helping elementary students improve their reading skills, and assisting refugee immigrants when he is not writing. 

He is the author of The Icarus Series: The Icarus Jump, The City and the Gate and The Gender of Fire; as well as The Lie Detector App, which is set in modern California and follows the unfolding life of a genius kid who creates apps for the smartphone, and discovers there is truth everywhere if you know how to look; and Jar of Pennies, a historical and cultural crime fiction novel set in a small town in East Texas. John lives in Austin with his wife and two small dogs.

Get to know John! John Yearwood

My Thoughts:  (Very bried)

I made an effort to engage with this story.  However, chapter after chapter the story began to FEEL like pennies in a jar....totally separate thoughts piled one on top of another, filling a book with pages but remaining separate and unconnected.  I could not engage.  I tried.  The concept appealed to me when I read the synopsis, but, for me at least, failed to deliver a cohesive narrative.  

You Wonder all the Time by Deborah Farmer Kris Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin REVIEWED

About the Book:

This affirming book celebrates curiosity and the thought-provoking questions children ask.

“Where do colors go at night, and why do shadows creep?” You Wonder All the Time celebrates curiosity and the thought-provoking questions children ask and supports them as they continue to learn. “Will you stay curious as you grow? It’s a brilliant part of you!” 

Asking questions is an important part of learning that helps children grow and understand the world. Inspired by and containing questions from real kids, You Wonder All the Time explores and affirms all the questions children ask. The book features a series of engaging, playful, and curious what, when, where, why, and how questions from the child to the adult. “What if we rode a T-Rex and shook the forest floor?” 

Its charming rhyme and heartwarming message that children’s many questions are welcomed and their wondering is loved make the book perfect for storytime, home, and the preschool classroom.

My Thoughts:

I was blessed to raise two very curious boys to adulthood, and I totally related to the words on the next to the last page:  "The world is full of questions, so I will ask one too.  will you stay as curious as you grow? It's a brilliant part of you!"  I think every adult who is blessed to either have children of their own, or contribute to the life of a growing child is as wonder-filled as they are just to watch them discover the world and all that it holds for their imagination!

I had a Mom who read to me from the very beginning of my life, and I think books like this one add so much to a child's ability to discover and explore their world, because they learn to love books and reading.  Books like this one open their minds, hearts and imagination to be free to discover and learn all about the mystery of life!

I look forward to sharing this book with the little ones in my life!!

About the Author:

Deborah Farmer Kris is a child development expert and parent educator. She serves as a columnist and consultant for PBS KIDS, and she writes for NPR’s MindShift and other national publications. Over the course of her career, Deborah has taught almost every grade K–12, served as a school administrator, directed leadership institutes, and presented to hundreds of parents and educators around the United States. Deborah and her husband live in Massachusetts with their two kids—who love to test every theory she’s ever had about child development. Mostly, she loves sharing nuggets of practical wisdom that can help kids and families thrive. You can learn more at www.parenthood365.com

 

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold REVIEWED

 About the Book:

A throwaway assignment is about to change two lives forever

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she's been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who's just entered hospice care.

But there's more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she's not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it's a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that's just what Mrs. Kip will give her--but she's going to have to work for it.

My Thoughts:

"We can all attest to your thousands of extraordinary deaths."  (p, 331)

Aiden Kelly speaks these words after an unexpected assignment from her editor to write someone's obituary.  I think I was as surprised, if not more so, than the main character to discover the depth and breath of a persons life.  Clara Kip became a person I'll never forget, because she represents many spiritual giants that I'm privileged to know who gave of themselves as selflessly as Mrs. Kip.  

This is a story of self discovery in so many ways!  Mrs. Kip is discovering what it's like to walk her final journey in her mortal body, and Aiden Kelley is learning that her life holds endless possibility.  No one will leave this story unchanged, because the reader is made to pause and consider how much goes on in the lives of others that is missed if not taken time to uncover.  Relationships can impact lives no matter how brief the interaction, and that is a lesson I hope never to take for granted.

I was hesitant to read this book, because my Mom passed away a few weeks ago.  Her time in hospice care changed my life forever, and I was able to relate to both of the main characters in very real ways! I'm in my own season of discovery and growth just as Aiden was in the book, and My Mom and Mrs. Kip were strikingly similar in the way they loved others. This is a PRECIOUS novel, and one I will read again.  I recommend this book to everyone who wants to experience an unexpected gift of relationship unfolding right before their eyes!  This novel is a treasure!!!

About the Author:

Sara Brunsvold creates stories that speak hope, truth, and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find his fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. Sara's recognitions include the 2020 ACFW Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives with her family in Kansas City, Missouri, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library. Learn more at www.sarabrunsvold.com.

Among the Innocent by Mary Alford REVIEWED

About the Book:

When Leah Miller's entire Amish family was murdered ten years ago, the person believed responsible took his own life. Since then, Leah has left the Amish and joined the police force. Now, after an Amish woman is found murdered with the same MO, it becomes clear that the wrong man may have been blamed for her family's deaths.

As Leah and the new police chief, Dalton Cooper, work long hours struggling to fit the pieces together in order to catch the killer, they can't help but grow closer. When secrets from both of their pasts begin to surface, an unexpected connection between them is revealed. But this is only the beginning.

What will it mean for Leah--and Dalton--when the full truth comes to light?
 

My Thoughts:

"The inevitable showdown coming had been a decade in the making.  When it was over, would any of them be left standing?" (p.140)

This is the question the reader asks the entire way through this novel!  Alford's book begins with the murder of an innocent Amish girl, and spirals first one way then another, until the reader's head is spinning and heart racing as much as the main character, Leah Miller.  Leah's head can barely focus on one harsh reality before she is forced to face another. Her life as a police officer began with a strong desire to protect those around her, and that includes the members of the Amish community in which she was raised.  To watch innocent girls lives taken brings back her own childhood trauma, but her desire to face her fears, and her obsessed killer is stronger than her fears.

Working alongside Dalton Cooper - a man with his own fears - helps Leah navigate the chaos that flows through her community as a killer rises among them and seems to stay one step ahead of them no matter how hard they work.  This story line is as fast paced as anything I've ever read, and I can honestly say I couldn't wait to pick it up and see what happened next! 

I believe this is my first time reading one of Mary Alford's books, but I guarantee it won't be the last!  I love it when I can't figure out what's going on, and the tension builds bit by bit until you barely stand it! That, to me, is a fun read!!  You  will thoroughly enjoy this novel, and you will not escape without losing few characters along the way.  The killer in this book has a voracious appetite for mayhem! Buckle up for a wild ride!!

About the Author:

Mary Alford is a USA Today bestselling author who loves giving her readers the unexpected, combining unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots that result in stories the reader can't put down. Her titles have been finalists for several awards, including the Daphne Du Maurier, the Beverly, the Maggie, and the Selah. She and her husband live in the heart of Texas in the middle of 70 acres with two cats and one dog. Learn more at www.maryalford.net.

 

The Friendly Mouse by Sophia R. Tyler REVIEWED

About the Book:

 A Small Mouse with a Big Heart Changes the World One Friend at a Time. . .

Mouse is a field mouse who loves living in the country, but works in the city. This leaves him with a major problem: he is constantly late for work. In the face of losing his job, Mouse makes a bold, faith-filled choice that could cost him everything.

An unexpected story about how a little mouse overwhelmed with his own struggles finds himself to be the miracle prayed for by another.

For more information, go to:

TheFriendlyMouseBook.com

My Thoughts:

"I decided to choose kindness, no matter what anyone else does."  (p.29)

Mouse reminds me of something I easily forget sometimes...be kind always.  This is a picture book that kids will easily relate to, because they all always watching and listening and know when their parents are struggling.  This book also holds powerful truth reminders for the adults reading to the children in their lives...model the behavior you want to teach them!

Mouse also reminds us that others  - adults too - are always watching the behaviors we model.  Kindness doesn't always result in generous gifts from others, but there are many intangible gifts that kindness brings our way  - like friendship!   Every adult I know has difficult people in their lives, and if we choose to react with kindness, we are often surprised at the way God meets our needs, both physical and emotional!

I love this picture book and can't wait to share it with the little people in my life!!  Enjoy!

About the Author:

Sophia R. Tyler thinks back on the countless nights spent with her mom and sisters, reading books before bed. Ending the day by escaping into books with her sisters and mom, brought her feelings of warmth, safety and coziness. And ever since then, books have had that same effect. She hopes that the Jesus-inspired morals resonate with readers and brings similar feelings to those she felt as a kid.

Sophia likes to think about times people have shown kindness to her in times of need and how much that meant to her. The Friendly Mouse is a sweet reminder of how acts of kindness can go a long way. A comedian and actor named Robin Williams said it best: "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, so be kind, always.”

The Barabbas Legacy by M.D. House REVIEWED

 About the Book:

In this poignant capstone to the trilogy, the man called Barabbas—infamous former thief, murderer and prisoner turned Christian—and his wife Chanah continue their mission of spreading the gospel across the known world as cauldrons of political and military chaos boil across the Roman Empire. Nero is increasingly erratic, and it’s only a matter of time before the sharp knives of imperial politics finish him off. Various successors vie for position. Who will strike first, and who will come out on top?

Meanwhile, the rebellion in Judea has intensified, the Jewish zealots exerting great influence over the minds of the people. General Vespasian and his son Titus aim to put a permanent end to the insurrection. How many lives will ultimately be sacrificed on the great altar of Jerusalem? Can the Jewish nation survive the fulfillment of Jesus’s prophecy? What will become of the Jewish Christians and the apostles and sisters who lead them? And where will Barabbas and his family find lasting peace?

My Thoughts:

"If any of you came here thinking this would be easy, I hope you realize now it will not." (p. 313)

Establishing the first churches within the Roman Empire and the known world was anything but easy, but it is what the apostles and disciples dedicated their lives to after Jesus commissioned them before ascending back to His Father.  In this third installment of Barabbas' story you get a front row seat to the intense labor involved in every aspect of this journey.  The travel alone makes me exhausted.  I can't imagine the time and labor involved in getting from one place to another.

Barabbas and his family answer their call to become leaders in the early church.  They must leave family and loved ones behind, knowing they may never see them again this side of heaven. Relationally, this is a very realistic story.  The disagreement between the apostles, between believers and non believers is real and sometimes intense. It's not so very different from today, sadly.   Human nature, without the transformative power of the Holy Spirit remains unchanged throughout time.

My only criticism of this book, is that establishing the church seems too focused on temples of worship and statues in memorial.  In one passage the apostle talk about the "regional headquarters " and I'm not sure that was even the point.  I wouldn't have paid it any mind, but it kept being referenced, and I personally didn't like it.  Maybe Barabbas' faith needed concrete things to see and touch (beautiful temples and statues) but it detracted from the depth of faith I wanted to believe he possesses. 

If you want to experience the establishment of the early church in fiction, the Barabbas story is a good place to start.  It was not an easy or quickly established network, and many times it cost folks everything - life itself.  Enjoy this installment of the Barabbas story!

About the Author:

M.D. HOUSE is the author of The Barabbas Legacy, as well as the first two books in the series, I Was Called Barabbas and Pillars of Barabbas. He also wrote the science-fiction novel, Patriot Star, with a sequel coming in 2022.

Before beginning his second career as a writer, he worked for twenty-five years in the world of corporate finance, strategic planning, and business development. Now, he lives in the mountains of Northern Utah with his wife, where he spends his time writing and enjoying his children and grandchildren.

Learn more about M.D. House and his work at www.mdhouselive.com