Tag: Historical

These Tangled Threads

by Sarah Loudin Thomas

MY REVIEW

Beautifully written book with wonderful, realistically flawed characters. These flawed characters are filled with experiences and circumstances used by the Master Weaver to create a more beautiful person. This doesn’t result in perfection, but in a beautiful masterpiece. We need to make better choices as our life’s story is woven. It will have flaws, but that makes each of us unique and helps us learn.

The book also has wonderful threads of forgiveness, hope, redemption, and love. The storyline is fascinating, and the book was really captivating. It is a beautifully done Appalachian story with the setting of Biltmore in the Carolinas.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane

by Michelle Griep

MY REVIEW

This is such a fun story! It’s full of action, questions of life, friendship fun, mystery and suspense. I have loved this series, and this book is no different. 

I really enjoyed the main and secondary characters in this book. They have faults, difficulties, and have such a normal kinda life, but they definitely don’t have normal kind of jobs and scrapes they enjoy. 

The storyline is interesting, and I really like that this takes place among normal folk-no ritzy balls and gowns. It’s been said they take place in Dicken’s London. That statement really is true. He is probably my favorite classic writer, and I thoroughly enjoy that this series doesn’t take place among the London elite.

There is so much to like about this book and this series. Good characters, intriguing storylines, faith themes, and just some wonderful fun. I’m rather sad to leave these characters behind, but I’m glad to have all three on my forever shelves.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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While the City Sleeps

by Elizabeth Camden

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed the mystery in this novel as well as the faith threads of hope, love, and forgiveness.

I really liked the hero in the book. He had a fascinating story, and he was simply a wonderful character. He wasn’t perfect, but he had such a big forgiving heart. His past was quite an intriguing story as well.

In all honesty, I wasn’t a fan of the heroine through much of the story. She does grow in character, though, and as she learns , I learned to like her more. I like that element in a story. People do grow and change through each day and through life.

I’ve only been to New York City for a brief time for medical reasons. It was fun to visit in the book and hear of some of the “life” of NYC. It is definitely a city that doesn’t sleep. I was stunned at the number of people that were shopping at one in the morning as if it was so normal. The book did a great job of bringing life to the setting.

The book had a wonderful mystery, terrifically done characters, an intriguing storyline and setting, and a good faith thread.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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All My Secrets

by Lynn Austin

MY REVIEW

Such a wonderfully written novel covering the stories of three women from different generations in the same family. It covers their joys as well as their sorrows. It shows that God ultimately writes our stories and can turn our great sins and sorrows into joy.

This is a Christian fiction book that actually has much about Christ and living purposeful lives unto him and leaving a meaningful legacy behind for the generations to come. It is a wonderful heartfelt, heart tugging, heart wrenching story that I will not soon forget. 

The main characters are so well done. No matter what stage of life you are experiencing, this book addresses many different situations in which we find ourselves as we travel through our lives. Two of them are sharing what they have learned with the youngest. This is a fantastically written novel that readers do not want to miss.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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The Seamstress of Acadie

by Laura Frantz

MY REVIEW

A beautifully written novel that tells the heartbreaking story of the Acadians. In the many, many books I have read, only one other series that I can remember talks of their sad story. It is a very sad historical event; but the storyline, though sad, remains hopeful.

A beautiful love story that is done slowly and incredibly well, a fascinating time in history, a novel written with such impressive beautiful prose, and a unique setting all combine for a wonderful book to enjoy and savor.

Psalm 23 is brilliantly woven into the story finishing the novel off with a lovely and fitting faith theme. This is a must read for historical fiction fans, and a novel that I will not soon forget.
I received this book from the author. A review was not required.

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To Spark a Match

By Jen Turano

MY REVIEW

This was another fun read by this author. I enjoy dialogue in a book, and this book has a lot of fun and enjoyable dialogue.

The main characters were wonderful and well done. Adelaide is so fun! I love books, unique bookstores, and cats, and so does Adelaide. I really liked her character. She was a well fleshed out character who brought much life to the story. Gideon was a fun loving hero who didn’t mind Adelaide’s quirky ways and long talks. The secondary characters added much to the story as well.

The faith theme was very well done in this story, and I very much enjoyed the moral ideas put forth in the storyline.
This was a well done novel. This author really writes books that are very unique which, I think, is why I enjoy them so very much.


I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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Against the Wind

by Amanda Cabot

MY REVIEW

*I want to start by saying I did read the first book. Though this second in the series can stand alone, I do recommend reading the series in order. I got a lot more understanding from the second book after I read the first so I highly recommend reading this series in order.*

This book reminded me much of a prairie romance. Only this has a woman fighting to be accepted as a doctor. I am thankful for women doctors, but this particular theme of women fighting for a previously held man’s job has been a bit overdone of late. At least it has been that way in my choice of books (grant it, I don’t always read a book the year it comes out-but I’m close). 

I enjoyed the characters and the secondary characters. I didn’t realize this was a second in a series until it arrived in the mail. The first in the series is on its way. I really liked the male main character more than the female. He seemed to have more spiritual growth in him, and I loved it as he continued to grow and learn more. 

Most of the storyline is predictable in this read with a few minor surprises. It’s a fairly good storyline with a very well done faith theme that is intrinsic to the story itself. This author always seems to do a good job at that which is why I continue to read. Her romance isn’t overdone, and it grows naturally and is built on the character and morals of the characters themselves which I appreciate. It did seem to drag a bit, but that might be because the plot was just so predictable.

It’s a sweet prairie type story with wonderful characters, a beautiful setting, and a very well done faith thread.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own,

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A Beautiful Disguise

by Roseanna White

MY REVIEW

This book felt much different to me than the author’s other books. It has the mystery, interesting character group, and life among those with money. The interesting part, of course, is the fact that among the wealthy is a circus and two who love the trapeze and other acts that are done in a circus. To an extent, I enjoyed it. However, I had a hard time finding it believable.

It just seemed to be a bit of a stretch to find trapeze artists and circus animals among the “rich and famous.” It just didn’t seem at all realistic. I did enjoy the characters in the book-both the main and secondary characters were interesting. The storyline itself and the mysteries are what kept me turning the pages.

The faith thread in this book fits in well with the story, and it is well done. It isn’t like anything I’ve ever read before, and I do enjoy different books. If you like something a bit different, give it a try. It is a fun read. It kind of had a touch of Jen Turano in it, and I love her books. 

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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This is Where it Ends

by Cindy K. Sproles

MY REVIEW

This was a different way to present a story. I enjoyed the look back and the thoughts Minerva had as she approached the end of her life. I really enjoyed the writing style, and the sweet relationship that occurs between the elderly lady Minerva and the young man Del. I love how the author gives the facts of the past to the reader through Minerva’s point of view.

The characters and secondary characters are well done, and I was surprised by who turned out to be the bad guy in this story. The storyline flows very well, and I didn’t want to put the book down.
The scenes written on the farm were beautifully done, and it sure put the reader in the setting. Minerva’s thoughts really bring the story alive for the reader, putting the reader in her shoes so to speak.
My one disappointment was I felt that the faith theme could have been incredibly strong in so many places in this story. It did have hope and forgiveness in the storyline. It definitely wasn’t missing a faith theme. I just wished at so many places throughout the book that it had been stronger-just my point of view.
I love these kinds of stories. Ones that make one think, where everything isn’t sunshine and roses. The realizations to which the main character comes are very well done and powerfully written.
This is an emotionally touching read with life lessons learned and realistic characters and storyline.


I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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Remember Me

By Tracie Peterson


MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed this book. My favorite thing was the incredibly strong faith and forgiveness theme. Christian fiction doesn’t always have such a strong and open faith theme. This one was incredibly well written, and it is intrinsic to the story so it flows very well.

I liked the history of the expo as well…there is some very interesting historical facts in the book that made it a wonderful read that I didn’t want to put down. 

The main characters are well done in the book. They grow in their faith and towards each other throughput the book. The secondary characters are wonderful, and they really help complete the story.

This was an enjoyable read with strong characters, well written story, and a heartfelt faith theme.

I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

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