Inspirational

Tag: Inspirational

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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The Irish Matchmaker

by Jennifer Deibel

MY REVIEW

This is a sweet story. This story was far more character driven for me. I love kids in books so I enjoyed Sara. It was a sweet romance read that was predictable but enjoyable gettIng to the end. The main characters were well done, but Sara and her dad were definitely my favorite of them all.

The setting was interesting. I find it fascinating that they use to have a matchmaking festival where so many met their mate. The historical notes at the end of the book were interesting as well.

I also enjoyed the faith theme of this book, and the focus on trying to learn to rely on God for provision was tremendously well done. That isn’t always easy, and it was a well placed message in the story. It was intricate to the storyline, and the Bible verses and how Sara presented them to her Dad was adorable. Oh to have the faith of a child!

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

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Double Take

by Lynette Eason

MY REVIEW

I thoroughly enjoyed this book with all its twists and turns.

The two main characters are fantastic. I really liked James and Lainie. I liked how their relationship grew and that they had known each other so long. The faith theme was quite good throughout the book. That’s not easy to pull off in such a fast paced suspense story.

This was a terrific suspense/mystery story with wonderful characters, a good cast of secondary characters, well paced, and a good faith thread.
This was a great read to start 2024, and it will definitely make my forever shelves.

My daughter is eagerly awaiting her turn. I am eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

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

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Countdown

by Lynette Eason

MY REVIEW

Enjoyed this story! I liked both characters in this story. The fact that it wasn’t an “Insta love” type story made it even better. I like far more suspense than romance, and I felt the author really delivered in that area.

The suspense was well done, and it was very well paced. The storyline itself was engaging and kept the reader turning the pages. It felt like a bit of a slow start for me, but I didn’t mind that at all.

The faith theme was well done and very intrinsic to the story. It’s hard to get a good faith theme in the suspense genre so it is always well appreciated when it comes through so well.

This had a wonderful cast of characters, a terrific and fascinating storyline, and a good faith theme-all the elements that I really enjoy in a suspense read. I have really enjoyed this series, and I’m rather sad to see it end. It did finish with a fantastic novel, though.

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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Yesterday’s Tides

By Roseanna M. White

MY REVIEW

I really liked the characters in this book, and I liked both timeline stories which is rare. Both plots are well done, and I do not have a favorite. That is pretty much next to impossible.

The storyline with its mystery really keeps the reader engaged. The family history is another mystery for the reader to solve. The WWI and WWII history adds so much to the book! The book has action, mystery, history, and beautiful relationships. Anything else one could possibly want?

The entire group of characters is wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of the secondary characters as well. With the dual timeline, the reader gets the viewpoint of the US as well as some viewpoint from overseas.

My favorite part of this story is all the people that we meet that are in previous stories. I thoroughly enjoyed the Codebreaker series so I was thrilled that some of the characters show up in this story. It made a wonderful way of bringing the story more to life because I had already met some of the cast of characters. I think the only thing I did not like about it was mentioning rosary beads and Catholics. I did not feel that it was necessary to point out which people believed differently than others. Those parts of the story did not seem to fit, and they could easily have been left out.

The incredibly well done characters , a very engaging plot line in both stories, special pieces of previous series by this author, and as always fascinating history all combine to make a wonderful novel.

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

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Hearts of Steel

By Elizabeth Camden

MY REVIEW

I really liked Maggie in this book…even though obsessive, her fears were definitely warranted. She was so scrappy and incredibly hard working. I liked Liam, but I do wish he had grown a bit and learned to better control his temper. He was too old for board room brawls…not saying the guy didn’t deserve it. However, he should have been above that eventually. I felt Maggie had some growth to her, but Liam didn’t really. I did love what he would do for those he loved. This was a great title for the two characters.

This story grabbed my attention from the beginning and held it. The plot and storyline was very interesting, and the attempts by the crooked guy that just keep coming seem unreal. Most of it, however, is based on a true character in history.

The two main characters complement each other well, the storyline keeps the reader engaged, and Liam ends up in the state in which I live with his yacht! He doesn’t come for a vacation, though. My favorite scene is a beautiful gift given to Liam from his sister that he treasures.

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

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Within These Walls of Sorrow

By Amanda Barratt

MY REVIEW

I am at a loss for rating or reviewing a novel as powerful as this one.. The writing takes the reader on the journey, that much is incredibly true.

A poignant, heart wrenching, tragic tale of The Ghetto. The word sorrow doesn’t really come close to all that occurred there. How humans treated other humans like this is something I will never understand. As hard as it was to read, I cannot imagine how hard it was to see and live through, if one could call it living for these souls. It’s a novel that makes the reader think of how one person could help, and yet how could a person not help. God must have put people there, miraculously through a pharmacy, to help with things beyond the scope of a pharmacy. It left people to tell the stories that needed to be told.

This book is not so dark that the reader cannot finish. The reader gets Jewish and non Jewish viewpoints. I really liked the different characters that the reader follows. It gives a good perspective. This was really one of the best books I’ve read about WWII Poland because of that…much of this isn’t fiction.

I’m still amazed every time I think of the fact that the pharmacy was allowed to stay open inside the ghetto throughout the entire time…the building is still there today.

Realistic characters, powerful and painful stories, and the ability to change the reader…this is a novel that I’m not sure I’ll ever forget. It leaves the reader with choices to make about his own life and to learn so much about past lives and their gifts to then and now.

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

A picture of the pharmacy as it stands today. Used by permission.

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