Secrets of a Charmed Life

What an amazing novel by one of my favorite writers, Susan Meissner.

From the back cover:

Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.

1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, hundreds of thousands of children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage, Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed…

In her signature style, Susan Meissner has crafted an unforgettable story set in both modern day and the Second World War. She seamlessly shifts between both worlds, telling the stories of Kendra, Isabel, Emmy, and Julia with tenderness, sympathy, and yes, intrigue.

I devoured this book. It was hard not to rush through, because I wanted to savor the language. The intriguing plot, however, drew me in and pushed me forward to finish the book inside just a couple of days. It is also the kind of book I know I will revisit.

Susan is a woman of great faith, and indeed she has until recently written for the Christian fiction market. In spite of changing publishers, however, faith still plays a strong role in the story. It’s more like a strong undercurrent than a melody, but it’s unmistakably present.

I highly recommend this novel. In fact, I think it would be a great choice for any book club, because it is a multi-faceted story dealing with love, the most universal of all human experience. Love between men and women, mothers and daughters, and sisters.

Similar authors on the market with this type of story would be Sarah Jio (except for her most recent novel, which I will also be reviewing soon), and Kate Morton, both of whom meld the past and the present in their stories.

The cover blurb by Sarah Jio is absolutely the truth: Susan’s writing is “Beautifully crafted and captivating.” Her books are always good. I can hardly wait for her next novel, which will be set in the golden age of Hollywood.

Disclosure: I received an advance reading copy of this book from the author to write this review.

To read my review of A Fall of Marigolds, click here.

Let God Talk to You

Becky Tirabassi is probably best known for her prayer journaling method that helped revolutionize women’s prayer lives in her book Let Prayer Change Your Life.

In this book from Bethany House, Let God Talk to You, Tirabassi talks more about how God speaks to us:

• through His Word
• through thoughts
• through silence,
• and always requiring of us a listening heart.

She intersperses Biblical truths with her own story as well as stories of other Christians. Then she gives the reader tools and suggestions of practical ways to actively listen for God’s voice and then record those prayers and responses and Bible verses for remembrance.

This book will be helpful to Christians seeking to learn fresh ways to listen to God.

Acknowledgement of compensation disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for posting a review, which I am sad to say is long overdue. 

Like a Flower in Bloom

Once again, Siri Mitchell has created a delightfully flawed heroine. She is clueless in the ways of society and the ways of love. I enjoyed her--flaws and all.

Charlotte is almost 22 years old. She's been helping her grieving botanist father for the past eight years, since her botanist mother passed away. She's been making do for so long, she's become indispensable to him--or so she thinks. Then her uncle, the esteemed and feared Admiral, suggests to her father that it's past time for Charlotte to be out in society to find a husband. Before she can realize what is happening, her father hires an assistant who is not all he seems on the surface. Just like that, Charlotte finds herself replaced, and she realizes she is not as indispensable as she thought. She begins a series of gaffes and missteps through which she makes some friends and learns about society and relationships outside her family.

I loved Charlotte and her awakening process throughout the course of the story. Siri Mitchell artfully weaves a huge bouquet of botany facts all through the novel, and it's really interesting and fun to learn about plants and specimen collection and the process of recording various plants and flowers.

I think this book will appeal to fans of historical fiction and of botany. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and author as a part of the launch team. I am honored to have a part in telling all the good things about this book, and look forward to reading more from Siri Mitchell's pen.

2015 Reading Challenge: 52 Books in 52 Weeks

I posted this link on Facebook at the end of December, and wow, the response I got! I started a Facebook group and it grew and grew as people added their friends. 

You can print the PDF of the list (the link is in the article here) and start checking them off.

Since I read around 100 books per year (and with a huge long road trip this summer I should have no problem finishing some of them), I am confident I'll finish the list.

One Word 2015: WRITE

I haven't been doing what the mug says, have I? Evidence below, as my last post was almost two months ago.

In fact, I hit a wall with my 2014 One Word, which was Creative.

I read books about creativity and art, which side of the brain does what, and many other things. But when it actually came to creating, well, that was where I stuck with the familiar: painting pottery like this mug, or two sketches all year in my journal, or even knitting the same kind of scarf (two strands of Lion Brand Hometown yarn, size 50 needles, 6 stitches across in garter).

Not much adventure there. I allowed the word to dictate how I had to be, so I learned avoidance.

Enter the end of 2014, and the expectation of 2015 just around the corner. All I saw in my mind and on my desk was this mug: Write.

I have not used my gift well.

I teach writing, I can write, and I edit others' writing. But I get all wrapped up in my head and just don't write anymore.

So with the one word staring me in the face (literally in my line of vision right now on the windowsill above my desk where I sit typing this blog post), I must do what I must do.

Write.

Proverbs 3:3 says, Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.

Lord, let me be faithful to the gift You have given me.

This post is linked at Bonnie Gray's site here: http://bit.ly/belovedbrews

Past themes:
Brave (2009)
Focus (2010)
Grace (2011)
Listen (2012)
Dream (2013)

Creative (2014)

CFBA Book Review: Swept Away

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Swept Away Abingdon Press (November 18, 2014) by Laura V. Hilton
and
Cindy Loven

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award winning author Laura V. Hilton has penned many novels, including the Amish of Seymour series, the Amish of Webster County series, and the forthcoming Amish of Jamesport series. A member of ACFW, Laura is also a professional book reviewer for the Christian market, with over a thousand book reviews published at various online review sites. A pastor’s wife, stay-at-home mom, and home school teacher, Laura and her family make their home in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas.

A lifelong reader, Cindy Loven is an active church wife of a minister and mother to one son who is a home school graduate. Cindy and her family reside in Conway, Arkansas.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sara Jane Morgan is trying to balance teaching with caring for her ailing, stubborn grandmother. When school lets out for the summer, the plans are for Grandma to teach Sara Jane to quilt as they finish up the Appalachian Ballad quilt Grandma started as a teenager. But things don’t always go as planned. Andrew Stevenson is hiding from his past—and his future. He works as a handyman to pay the bills, but also as an artisan, designing homemade brooms. When Sara Jane’s grandmother hires him to renovate her home, sparks fly between him and his new employer’s granddaughter. Still, it doesn’t take Sara Jane long to see Drew isn’t what he seems. Questions arise, and she starts online researching him. What she discovers could change her life—and her heart—forever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Swept Away, go HERE.

Pattie's Review: I know of Laura Hilton because we've both been reviewing Christian fiction books for a very long time. Cindy Loven is new to me as an author.

The strength of this novel is in the handling of the situation with Grandma Sari. It's not easy to deal with an aging parent or grandparent, and Sara Jane's situation with her grandmother is portrayed with realism and grace.

I also liked the links within the story of historical significance, as well as the link to the Appalachian Trail experience.

The romance seems a bit forced to me in several places. Sara and Drew don't seem to mesh well at all, yet before we know it they're "feeding the crush" they have on each other. I think that could have been handled a bit better. I do like that Sara gets over her first impression by reading Drew's online blog from his hike. That was really neat, and it is culturally relevant with Cheryl Strayed's Wild coming out in theaters soon.

If you're looking for a sweet, clean, Christian romance, this is a good book for you. Probably the entire series, actually, since Abingdon Press is a well-known Christian fiction/romance publisher with quite a few good series in their catalog.

Veterans Day: Pride and Gratitude

I think it's rather fitting to say "Thank You" for our military veterans and their families. Most of us spouses and families just want our service members to be honored, and many of the service members are embarrassed to be so recognized.

I think one day a year, during the month when we already celebrate Thanksgiving and express our gratitude for our many blessings, is apropos. You may not agree, and that's okay too.

Remembering my family legacy of service: Grandpa D. served in the Navy in the Japanese theater in WWII; Grandpa W. served in the Army in the European theater in WWII; Dad served in the Navy in the Vietnam War; his brother was career Army, serving both as enlisted and as an officer, in the wake of Vietnam, during the Gulf War, and in the wake of 9/11; his sister's husband served in the Army in Vietnam. My husband's family: his father served in the Air Force during Vietnam; his uncle served in the Air Force during Vietnam, then as a reservist for a full career, serving active duty for a while in the wake of 9/11; and my husband serves as an Air Force chaplain.

Today my daughter will speak at her high school's Veterans Day program. I am more proud than I can even express.