With This Pledge ~ Review

With This Pledge
The Carnton Novels #1
By Tamera Alexander

Tamera Alexander has once again brought history to life in a moving piece of literature. The horror and destructive power of war is brutally illustrated as Carnton Plantation provides sanctuary for some of the most desperately wounded of the Battle of Franklin, a battle that signaled the South's eventual defeat.

Lizzie Clouston has called Carnton home for several years, working as a governess to the family's two children. But when the war between the Federal and Confederate armies converges on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, Lizzie is pressed into service assisting in the surgery of many Confederate soldiers whose very life hangs upon the outcome. But when Captain Roland Ward Jones asks her to promise him that she'll not allow the surgeon to remove his leg, Lizzie makes a promise that she hopes and prays she'll not regret.

War is a harsh taskmaster and it is determined to exact its price with losses on both sides and Lizzie finds herself offering aid and comfort to many who are about to breath their last. Several of these deaths touch her deeply especially one young man's to whom she feels burdened to find and locate his family. 

When a nation is in turmoil how do you stay firm in your resolve? Lizzie has made promises and she'll do all she can to keep them even when it costs her. With This Pledge is a moving testament to the true story of Elizabeth Clouston and that of Captain Roland Jones as the world they knew changes and they are left with finding their new place in it. And facing the truth of what slavery truly was may be the hardest part to accept because to accept the truth about the evils of slavery casts those who rallied to its call in a light they'd rather not see themselves in. I think the most striking passage that illustrates this is when Roland looks upon his time of recovery from his injuries...

"Roland heard what George wasn't saying and yet was. And though

it struck a dissonant chord within him, he forced himself to look past

that and to his own life through the lens of George's--through the lens

of his own life over the past few weeks. He'd been powerless to change

anything. Had no control over his future. Felt like a prisoner in his

own body. And he would've done just about anything to be given the

chance to change that. What man wouldn't? 

  Roland looked up and saw Georges's outstretched hand. And grasped it."

Those who read the Christmas at Carnton novel will recognize the setting and some of the other characters. If you have not yet read the previous book don't worry this one can be easily read and followed on its own. This work of historical fiction set in Tennessee during the turbulent final months of the Civil War. The characters are relatable and I would love to get the chance to know more of them. And Tempy is a woman who may not have been allowed an education but the wisdom that she shares with those who call Carnton home is a treasure. Highly recommended reading.

I was provided a complimentary advance copy of this book by the publisher through TLC Book Tours with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.



About the Book:

What can a woman

~ a mere governess ~

do against the scourge of slavery?

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Clouston’s quietly held principles oppose those of the Southern Cause—but when forty thousand soldiers converge on the fields of Franklin, Tennessee, the war demands an answer. The Carnton home, where she is governess, is converted into a Confederate field hospital, and Lizzie is called upon to assist the military doctor with surgeries that determine life or death. Faced with the unimaginable, she must summon fortitude, even as she fears for the life of Towny, her fiancé and lifelong friend.

As a young soldier lies dying in Lizzie’s arms, she vows to relay his final words to his mother, but knows little more than the boy’s first name. That same night, decorated Mississippi sharpshooter Captain Roland Ward Jones extracts a different promise from Lizzie: that she intervene should the surgeon decide to amputate his leg.

Lizzie is nothing if not a woman of her word, earning the soldiers’ respect as she tends to the wounded within Carnton’s walls. None is more admiring than Captain Jones, who doesn’t realize she is pledged to another. But as Lizzie’s heart softens toward the Confederate captain, she discovers that his moral ground is at odds with her own. Now torn between love, principles, and pledges made, she struggles to be true to her own heart while standing for what she knows is right—no matter the cost.

From the pages of history and the personal accounts of those who endured the Battle of Franklin, Tamera Alexander weaves the real-life love letters between Captain Roland Ward Jones and Miss Elizabeth Clouston into a story of unlikely romance first kindled amid the shadows of war.

The Light Before Day ~ Review

The Light Before Day
Nantucket Legacy #3
By Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Light Before Day is the third book in the Nantucket Legacy series. In this book, Henry and Hitty Macy are grown up and their grandmother Lillian has died. Lillian Coffin has left her vast wealth to Henry and Hitty with strings attached. The money is not to leave the Island and there are conditions on whom they can marry and they both must marry within a specified time frame. And Lillian's daughter Daphne nary a kind word was left to her.

Henry and Hitty knew that this gift was their Grandmother's last attempt at controlling their lives, but Henry has a plan to thwart her machinations while fulfilling the mandates of the will. But as the existence that Henry and Hitty have always known shifts so too is Nantucket shifting. The rights of Blacks and women has become a catalyst of contention that could very well divide the Island permanently.

The Light Before Day is an enjoyable addition to the Nantucket Legacy series. I really like how Great Mary's, aka Mary Coffin Starbuck, journal entries are scattered throughout the books and how the person to whom the journal is aided by her words of wisdom. Mary's journal also details her own path to "Finding the Light" (becoming a Quaker), after her stance against allowing a church, or religious affiliation, to be linked to Nantucket. And that treasure of Spanish gold that was discovered in the first book and used in the second, well it is again referenced by Mary in her journal and put to good use.

The historical notes at the end of the book are a welcome addition as the reader is allowed a chance at further study. This would be an excellent book club selection. And though these books should be read together it is not absolutely necessary but it allows the reader a foundation on which each story builds. But to get Mary's entire story you'll need to read all three books.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion ~ all thoughts shared are my own.


About the Book:

"Henry, this . . . fortune, this 

sudden wealth . . . I fear it will 

change our lives. And I don't 

want my life to change."

After three years on a whaling voyage, Henry Macy returns to Nantucket to news that his grandmother has passed, bequeathing her vast fortune to him and his sister, Hitty. And it was truly vast. But Lillian Coffin was no fool. The inheritance comes with a steep cost, including when each should marry and whom--a Quaker in good standing, of course. But if they relinquish the inheritance, it all goes to Tristram Macy, their father's thieving business partner.

As Hitty and Henry seek a way to satisfy the will's conditions, they'll be faced with obstacles on every side--and it may be that Lillian Coffin will have the last word after all.

Auschwitz Lullaby ~ Review

Auschwitz Lullaby
By Mario Escobar

Helene Hannemann's life was that of an ordinary German woman until the day came that her husband and children were taken because of their Romani (Gypsy) heritage. Not about to allow them to be taken from her Helene insists on accompanying them little realizing just what her love would cost.

In May 1943 the Romani population under Nazi control is taken away to "special" internment camps and when her husband, Johann and their children are included in this rounding up Helene goes with them, though her German heritage would exempt her from such a sentence. Auschwitz is a living hell that tries to steal away the humanity and dignity of all who enter its gates. Helene though separated from Johann is determined to do everything in her power to keep her children safe.

When Helene's skills, as a trained nurse, are discovered her life and that of her children becomes somewhat better. But operating a day nursery under Dr. Mengele's direction allows her to see the utter depths of depravity a human can sink to and all in the name research.

This book covers approximately 15 months in the life of a woman who was determined to protect the innocent. Though there is much referenced as occurring within the camp most of the graphic violence is not described. There is one scene in which the after-effects of one of Mengele's experiments is portrayed and it is quite horrific. The hate shown against those who are of differing heritage is a warning that all should take to heart.

This book is one that is hard to read just because of the subject matter. The presentation and writing style are excellent. Those who have read Irma Joubert or Corban Addison's work will likely appreciate this book which is based on the true story of Helene Hannemann. 

I was provided a complimentary of this book by the publisher Thomas Nelson with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion. All opinions offer are my own.


About the Book:

Auschwitz Lullaby brings to life the story of Helene Hannemann—a woman who sacrificed everything for family and fought furiously for the children she hoped to save.

On an otherwise ordinary morning in 1943, Helene Hannemann is preparing her five children for the day when the German police arrive at her home. Helene’s worst fears come true when the police, under strict orders from the SS, demand that her children and husband, all of Romani heritage, be taken into custody. Though Helene is German and safe from the forces invading her home, she refuses to leave her family—sealing her fate in a way she never could have imagined.

After a terrifying trek across the continent, Helene and her family arrive at Auschwitz and are thrown into the chaos of the camp. Her husband, Johann, is separated from them, but Helene remains fiercely protective of her children and those around her. When the powers-that-be discover that Helene is not only a German but also a trained nurse, she is forced into service at the camp hospital, which is overseen by the notorious Dr. Mengele himself.

Helene is under no illusions in terms of Dr. Mengele’s intentions, but she agrees to cooperate when he asks her to organize a day care and school for the Romani children in the camp. Though physically and emotionally brutalized by the conditions at Auschwitz, Helene musters the strength to protect the children in her care at any cost. Through sheer force of will, Helene provides a haven for the children of Auschwitz—an act of kindness and selflessness so great that it illuminates the darkest night of human history.

Based on a true story, Mario Escobar’s Auschwitz Lullaby demonstrates the power of sacrifice and the strength of human dignity—even when all hope seems lost.

Lady of a Thousand Treasures ~ Review with Giveaway

Lady of a Thousand Treasures
The Victorian Ladies Series #1
By Sandra Byrd

Miss Eleanor Sheffield has been tasked with determining to whom Baron Lydney's collection of treasures will be given. The collection is vast and grand and highly sought after. But Eleanor must keep her personal feelings out of her decision making. And she does have personal feelings - she not too long ago thought that she and the late Baron's son would be wed. But when Harry tarried overlong on the Continent with no word Eleanor's hopes faded.

As Eleanor works through the estate's inventory she must determine who is worthy of the treasures her late father help Baron Lydney amass. Does it belong in the South Kensington Museum where all might enjoy it or does it belong with Harry and Watchfield House? With rumors that Harry is not worthy of holding such treasures, Eleanor must observe and test.

But more than the final ownership of the late Baron's possessions is at stake - Eleanor is also trying to keep her family's antiquities business going which following the death of her father and the decline of her Uncle Lewis is a nearly insurmountable task for a single woman in 1860s England. As business declines, Eleanor feels that her final decision will determine the fate of Sheffield Brothers. But can her business survive until a decision is reached or will she find her future in lies in debtor's prison?

This is a delightful and intriguing glimpse into a seldom-explored aspect of English history. Who knew that the upper class had such an interest in collecting rare pieces and antiquities that it could support a whole industry. I found the need for procurers and evaluators of pieces to be wholly unexpected. Also that even at that time the ability of those to produce forgeries was a real concern is something I did not expect. Get ready to enter a world of prejudice and betrayal with the ultimate treasure at stake.

The author's notes about the historical elements and real people that she included to bring this book together are well worth reading. Some of these facts a person may have heard briefly in history class but most likely never made it into the books - I know they didn't mine (I have the books on the shelf to look through). The efforts that Sandra Byrd goes to in added historic detail to her books is evident in the past that she brings to life.  I would highly recommend this book to fans of historical Victorian era fiction - this is not dry or tired and will leave you with a better understanding of this world.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through TLC Book Tours with no expectations except that I offer my honest opinion. - All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:
Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Sandra

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Becoming Mrs. Lewis ~ Review

Becoming Mrs. Lewis
By Patti Callahan

She became Mrs. Lewis but the journey from Joy Davidman to Mrs. Gresham to Mrs. Lewis was not an easy one. From an early age, Joy became an atheist and she clung to this belief of unbelief until she called out to God in a moment of despair. Fear for her husband caused her to call out but what she experienced set her on a path that would take years and redirect her life.

What had she experienced? Joy was determined to discover the truth researching through reading books, articles, and asking questions. The question that made the greatest impact was the one she wrote to Mr. Chad Walsh in which she asked him about C.S. Lewis. In reply to her letter, he told to write to C.S. Lewis and ask him the questions she had. What followed was years of correspondence that lead to a unique and special friendship between the two.

As Joy struggles with her husband's bouts of drinking, infidelity, and abuse her correspondence with Jack offers her a chance to escape the life she had and to hope for something better. When her own writing provides the funds to visit England in the hopes of saving her marriage and to heal from the undiagnosed illness plaguing her Joy takes this opportunity. Exploring England, doing research for her newest book, and connecting with her friends including Jack.

Joy's return to her home exposed just how dreadful her home life had become, a life that was threatening to drag her beloved sons down with it. With her husband once again straying from his vows, Joy knows that she and her sons must leave behind this toxic life. But divorce was something she had never thought would be a consideration for her. Yet it was the only way she knew to save both herself and her boys.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis is a most interesting look at the life of the woman who inspired C.S. Lewis to write A Grief Observed. Their friendship and love was but a mere 10 years and yet it had a tremendous impact on both. It all started with the reading of a book The Great Divorce and a questioning, seeking mind. One never knows just what journey the opening of a book will set one on and this is one woman's journey. A journey of pain, of loss, of joy, of love, of life.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through TLC Book Tour with no expectation but offering my honest opinion - all opinions expressed are my own.

Listen to an audio clip of chapters 1 and 2: here

About the Book:

Hardcover: 432 Pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (October 2, 2018)

In a most improbable friendship, she found love. 

In a world where women were silenced, she found her voice.

From New York Times bestselling author Patti Callahan comes an exquisite novel of Joy Davidman, the woman C. S. Lewis called “my whole world.” When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford don and the beloved writer of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters. Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, finding a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

Patti Callahan (who also writes as Patti Callahan Henry) is a New York Times bestselling author. Patti was a finalist in the Townsend Prize for Fiction, has been an Indie Next Pick, twice an OKRA pick, and a multiple nominee for the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Novel of the Year. Her work has also been included in short story collections, anthologies, magazines, and blogs. Patti attended Auburn University for her undergraduate work and Georgia State University for her graduate degree. Once a Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she now writes full time. The mother of three children, she lives in both Mountain Brook, Alabama and Bluffton, South Carolina with her husband.

Connect with Patti

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Instagram Tour Stops

Monday, October 1st: @Rissi006

Monday, October 1st: @hollyslittlebookreviews

Tuesday, October 2nd: @thecaffeinated_bibliophile

Wednesday, October 3rd: @girlsinbooks

Wednesday, October 3rd: @readingbringsjoy

Thursday, October 4th: @bookishmadeleine

Thursday, October 4th: @ladyofthelibrary

Thursday, October 4th:: @theardentbiblio

Saturday, October 6th: @acozyreader

Sunday, October 7th: @theliterarybirds

Review Tour Stops

Monday, October 1st: View from the Birdhouse

Tuesday, October 2nd: @prose_and_palate and Prose and Palate

Wednesday, October 3rd: Book by Book

Thursday, October 4th: Amy’s Book-et List

Friday, October 5th: Running Through the Storms

Monday, October 8th: Really Into This and @mountain_reader_

Tuesday, October 9th: Blooming with Books

Wednesday, October 10th: @createexploreread

Thursday, October 11th: Jathan & Heather

Friday, October 12th: The Lit Bitch

Monday, October 15th: @kim_reads

Tuesday, October 16th: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Wednesday, October 17th: Openly Bookish

Thursday, October 18th: Cheryl’s Book Nook

Monday, October 22nd: Fiction Aficionado

Monday, October 22nd: @novelmombooks

Tuesday, October 23rd: Read Eat Repeat

Wednesday, October 24th: Faery Tales are Real

Thursday, October 25th: Girl Who Reads

Friday, October 26th: What is That Book About

An Hour Unspent ~ Review

An Hour Unspent
Shadows Over England #3
By Roseanna M. White

Barclay Pearce is very good at what he does. His skills honed as a child made him one of London's top thieves and boss of his own band and territory. But now his skills are at the behest of the British Admiralty.

Barclay's current assignment is to get close to master clockmaker Cecil Manning who may have invented something that would aid the British efforts in the war. And if necessary he is to remove the plans from the Manning household. But Barclay wants to put as much distance between him and his old life as possible and assisting Manning is his preferred method of obtaining Manning's work.

Barclay's first attempt at meeting with Manning introduces him to Evalina Manning whom he rescues from an attempted mugging. Is it mere coincidence that the daughter of the very man whom Barclay is supposed to connect with threatened within feet of their home? Barclay is determined to discover the identity of this stranger who is where he shouldn't be.

When Barclay's interest in Manning's work results in an offer to mentor him the intricacies of watch movements Barclay is more than happy to accept. And his interactions with Evalina prove most interesting especially once her mother returns home with Aunt Beatrice in tow. With a broken engagement, Evalina needs Barclay and his family as a means of escape from the tense and oppressive atmosphere that has come home.  Evalina is determined to enjoy her little rebellion - after all Barclay is everything her mother doesn't want in a husband for her. He works, doesn't have connections or wealth and as her friends advise her, "have a little fun" while she can. But losing her heart was never a possibility or was it?

With his responsibilities to his family, Barclay doesn't have time for romance. Nor does he have the means to provide for someone of Evalina's status. The family barely has the means to put enough food on the table every day and now they are saving up for furnishing for their new home. But marriage was something he'd never contemplated for himself until Evalina declared that he was her new best friend.

As Evalina and Barclay work through what they are feeling with whom they are danger comes closer and everything that they hold dear is threatened. Once again Barclay faces the prospect of having to make his behind enemy lines to save not only a life but to protect England.

With An Hour Unspent Roseanna White has brought Barclay and his story forward so that the reader gets to know him. Barclay is a most admirable and likable individual and his care and concern for the orphaned and abandoned children of London just makes him that much nobler. This book can be read alone but as good as the other books are, just go ahead and read them all - this way you'll have the backstory without wondering "what are they referring to?".  Fans of WWI historical fiction will enjoy this one as it deals with the threats to England found within her borders.



About the Book:

With danger creeping ever closer,

do their dreams still matter?

Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.

Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.

As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge—and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger—and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape it.

Everything She Didn't Say ~ Review

Everything She Didn't Say
By Jane Kirkpatrick

Carrie Adell Green married Robert Strahorn in September of 1877 and began the adventure of a lifetime. Following her husband into the wilderness of America's West at her own insistence she became a trailblazer embarking on one adventure after another. Roughing it with the men who were tasked with taming the West.

Robert was known for his articles and books about the West. His work was funded by the Union Pacific Railroad - a PR man if you will, tasked with convincing the average citizen to move West and bring civilization with them. Creating a market for what the railroad would be offering transportation of people to the West and goods to the East.

Carrie was not about to sit around waiting as Robert explored the West and insisted that he convince the UP officials that her presence would add to the appeal - a lady of family and standing who was able to traverse the unknown regions and dangers of the West, sharing her experiences, offering a woman's perspective.

Through her experiences, Carrie has to deal with disappointments - want of a permanent home, children, and a husband who was not quite what she wished. But Carrie persevered handling what came her way each and every time. And she recorded her experiences in a journal which she hoped to one day share with the world in a memoir.

Like all of Jane Kirkpatrick's books she once again draws on a person who helped shape our country and our way of thinking. Carrie Strahorn is a person of whom I had not been previously aware of and found her story to be a wonderful glimpse into the past. It is interesting how depending on the state/territory that they were visiting just what rights women had. I also found the attitudes of some of the men interesting when Carrie asserted her opinion and went along on excursions that they deemed too dangerous for a lady. I would highly recommend Everything She Didn't Say for a book club setting (in fact this will be one that I'll be using in my own book club next year). For teens looking for a historical fiction for a book report, this one is worth considering.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Revell with no expectation except that I give my honest opinion.


About the Book:

There is more than one way to tell a story . . . 

❆~❆~❆~❆~❆~❆

In 1911, Carrie Strahorn wrote a memoir sharing some of the most exciting events of twenty-five years of shaping the American West with her husband, railroad promoter and writer Robert Strahorn. Nearly ten years later, she's finally ready to reveal the secrets she hadn't told anyone--even herself.

Certain that her writings will be found only after her death, Carrie confronts the pain and disappointment of the pioneering life with startling honesty. She explores the danger a woman faces of losing herself within a relationship with a strong-willed man. She reaches for the courage to accept her own worth. Most of all she wonders, Can she ever feel truly at home in this rootless life?

New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick draws out the emotions of living--the laughter and pain, the love and loss--to give us a window not only into the past but into our own conflicted hearts. Based on a true story.

❆~❆~❆~❆~❆~❆

Sons of Blackbird Mountain ~ Review

Sons of Blackbird Mountain
Blackbird Mountain #1
By Joanne Bischof

Aven Norgaard is making a new life for herself leaving Norway and her old life with its pain and sorrow to joining her late husband's Aunt Dorothe and cousins in Blackbird Mountain, Virginia. But what she finds isn't quite what she expected from the letters that she had exchanged with Dorothe.

Yes, there is a family with sons that could use some tending but they are not the children she had anticipated helping to tend. Rather the Norgaard boys are men who are her age or older. There is Jorgan, the eldest, who has a steady head and is soon to wed. The second son, Thor is deaf and mute, dealing daily with a silent pain that has held his heart in its grip since his mother's death. The youngest Norgaard is Haakon, who is bold and brash and carries a pain of his own.

Adjusting to her new life is complicated by the fact that the Nogaards support themselves through the brewing of hard cider and Aven, well aware of the issues her late husband had with liquor, is understandably concerned about the Norgaards, especially Thor. Thor longs to be free of the grip drink has on him but his past attempts have ended in failure. As the crafter behind the cider, Thor is daily tempted by his brew, a brew that brought his own father down. But Aven's arrival gives Thor the motivation to attempt to break its hold one last time.

The ruggedly beautiful and mountainous Virginia of the 1890s is a land still caught in the pain that was wrought by war - a war that divided a nation and changed the lives of so many. Many seeking to hide their pain and anger in the warm and addictive embrace of liquor. And those around them paid the price of liquor's cost - beatings, lack of necessities (food, clothing, etc.), and worse. This is the world of the Nogaards of Blackbird Mountain. This is the world that offers Aven Nogaard refuge following the death of her husband.

The Nogaard brothers are tightly knit with a close relationship but there is a secret pain that has driven a small wedging sliver between Thor and Haakon, one that has kept them from the relationship that they could have had. Aven's arrival is about to further test their bond as both men find their hearts turning to a red-haired Irish beauty with a caring and compassionate spirit.

I have to admit this was an interesting look at how those without hearing have been treated and the way that they are able to communicate. The opinions of some that signing was uncultured and primitive is not surprising and yet at the same time is. It is amazing how differences have always been a way to put down some while raising others. Differences should not be seen in such a light but rather as the unique gift we have each been given and from which we are to grow.

This book would be an excellent book club selection and I for one would be wondering what gem each person would glean through their reading. Would it be the post Civil War era, a particular character, or just the effort and care put forth in the making of a drink?

I received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through TLC book tour with no expectations but my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Book:

A Tale of Family, 

Brotherhood, 

and the Healing Power of Love

After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes and Noble | iBooks

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About the Author: Joanne Bischof

A Christy and Carol Award winner, Joanne Bischof writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.

Connect with Joanne

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Joann Bischof’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, August 20th: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot
Tuesday, August 21st: Let Them Read Books
Friday, August 24th: What is That Book About – author guest post
Monday, August 27th: Read Till Dawn
Tuesday, August 28th: Running Through the Storms
Wednesday, August 29th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Thursday, August 30th: Read Eat Repeat
Tuesday, September 4th: The Lit Bitch
Wednesday, September 5th: Blooming with Books
Thursday, September 6th: @createexploreread
Monday, September 10th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, September 11th: Splashes of Joy
Wednesday, September 12th: Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Thursday, September 13th: View from the Birdhouse
Friday, September 14th: The Sketchy Reader and @thesketchyreader

Fawkes ~ Review

Fawkes
By Nadine Brandes

Thomas Fawkes has only ever wanted his father's attention, approval, and love but when he contracts the plague his hopes seem to be at an end. For a year his father has been silent but with his Color Test upon him, he knows his father will present him with his mask and he will bond with a color. But disappointment seems to be his lot as his father the famed Guy Fawkes again lets him down refusing to present him with his mask or his presence.

Maskless, Thomas has no place in school or society - his father has ruined him. Determined to track down his father Thomas makes his way to London. But London is a dangerous place to be when you are maskless and plagued. Those who are masked are either Keepers or Igniters and they are at war. Both sides blame the other for the plague that is making its way across England a plague that is turning the infected into stone.

But finding his father only brings new complications as he is involved in a plot to bring down King James on the belief that the plague will be defeated with a Keeper on the throne rather than a king who has Igniter sympathies. Determined to prove himself to father, gain his mask, and rid himself of the plague Thomas agrees to take part in the plot against the king.

But when Thomas comes across Emma Areben in London he is confronted with something he never expected - acceptance and a viewpoint on White Light that he never expected. But she is the enemy or is she? Thomas is on a journey to discover the truth for himself if he can discover it.

Fawkes is a delightful blend of history and fantasy that will leave the reader enchanted and perhaps on their own quest for the truth about England, the Gunpowder Plot, and Plague that was so feared. Thomas Fawkes is a young man who is on the cusp of manhood when his very identity is denied him. With his future in doubt, he has no choice but to go after it for himself. Emma Areben is the ward of a peer of English society but she has a secret, one that most know nothing of, one that could ruin her in polite society. And the White Light the most powerful of the colors is also the one most fought over - should it be suppressed or should it be wielded. For what it is the White Light is a pivotal force within this story - one that the careful reader will decern as being greater than just a color power to be used at will.

This book is as equally well-written as Nadine Brandes previous work the Out of Time series but completely different as this is a historical fantasy fiction instead of a dystopian work.  I enjoyed the historical elements that brought this story to life while the fantasy elements added an exciting and unexpected twist. The mistrust of both sides against the other just fans the flames of hate and fear as neither is willing to see beyond what they wish to see - which sadly has been a reoccurring theme throughout history. I highly recommend this book perfect for any time reading or a book club setting.

About the Book:

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, 

and the only cure to the Stone Plague 

is to join his father’s plot to 

assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death. But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan is to use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King. Unfortunately, doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.

Winning Miss Winthrop ~ Review

Winning Miss Winthrop
Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #1
By Carolyn Miller

Catherine Winthrop's world has just been upended - with her father's death, she along with her mother and sister find themselves find themselves in a new role. No longer the daughter of the estate as the lands and title have passed on to a third cousin. But to Catherine's shock the cousin that none knew would be inheriting is the very man who broke her heart years ago. To find herself in this position is most disheartening as he was the only man to pay her any attention that she returned. But years have passed with no word from Jonathan Carlew.

Jonathan doesn't relish his sudden elevation in society. For years rumors about his parentage followed him and most of society shunned him for this mark. The one lady to capture his heart was also the one to break it. Finding himself as the newly named head of the Winthrop family is not a position Jonathan sought and finding himself so close to Catherine and the disdain of the rest of the family is almost more than he can bear. But Jonathan has his father's stubborn pride and it is about to stand him in good stead as he faces his greatest pain.

As Catherine and Jonathan come to terms with their new situations they have to confront the pain that has become part of the lives. But will the grief of the past keep them from healing and a second chance? When a new tragedy befalls them will it give them the chance they both need or will it further drive them apart?

Those who enjoyed Carolyn Miller's previous Regency Bride series will enjoy this new series that begins with this book. Some of the previous series characters make appearances which allows the reader to see how their lives have progressed. Fans of Regency period books will want to pick up this one. The subtle societal expectations that can make or ruin a reputation are on full display when a trip to Bath is undertaken in the hopes of economizing the Winthrop expenses while allowing Catherine and her mother time away from their old life.

I was provided a digital review copy of this book by the publisher Kregel with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.


About the Book:

Years ago, the man who stole Catherine Winthrop’s heart rejected her—and she’s never recovered from the grief. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn’t her heart he’s taking, it’s her home and her family’s good name.

Jonathan Carlew’s serious demeanor and connection to trade, not to mention the rumors surrounding his birth, have kept him from being a favorite of the ladies, or their parents. Now, suddenly landed and titled, he finds himself with plenty of prospects. But his demanding society responsibilities keep pressing him into service to the one woman who captured his heart long ago—and then ran off with it.

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future.

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England’s royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters—or appearances by their old favorites.

Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History ~ Trailer and Giveaway

There is an air of mystery about the man who rules the Catholic Church who takes on the title of Pope. The mystery that has surrounded centuries of this personage is about to be explored in a new upcoming series presented by CNN in POPE: The Most Powerful Man in History.

Here is a little about it:

Synopsis:  POPE: The Most Powerful Man in History explores the truth about the one world leader who is neither politician nor general – but commands the attention of both. For more than 2000 years, the head of the Roman Catholic Church has wielded unimaginable influence – shaping the world and our daily lives in surprising ways. Now, combining never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews, and dramatic recreations, this upcoming six-part television series focuses on the men who have held this unique and complicated position, and reveals the unexpected true stories from the Vatican’s past.  The series also delves into the important historical moments that forever changed the Catholic Church – from the foundations of the Reformation to the origins of a new religious order within Catholicism – the Jesuits.  The series premieres on Sunday, March 11 on CNN.

WIN A TRIP TO ROME

Inspired By The Upcoming Television Series, Pope: The Most Powerful Man In
History, One Lucky Winner Will Have The Opportunity To Experience A Roman Holiday And A Rare Private Tour Of The Vatican.

Pope: The Most Powerful Man In History will debut Sunday, March 11 at 10 p.m.ET/PT on CNN.

LOS ANGELES - March 2, 2018 – History buffs, travel enthusiasts, and anyone who has ever dreamed of visiting (or revisiting) one of the most iconic cities in the world will have a chance to win a once-in- a-lifetime trip to Rome. Inspired by the upcoming television premiere of Pope: The Most Powerful Man In History, contestants can vie for the opportunity to win by visiting the website: www.myvaticanvacation.com.

Giveaway begins March 8 and ends on April 15.

The winner of the giveaway will receive the following:
* Airfare and five nights of hotel accommodations for two in Rome.
* A $500 gift card.
* A rare and private tour of The Vatican.

The Vatican is home to some of the greatest works of art including The Pieta, Raphael’s Transfiguration, Leonardo Da Vinci’s St. Jerome In The Wilderness, the statue of Apollo Belvedere, and a painting of The Last Judgement by Michelangelo, located inside The Sistine Chapel. The Sistine Chapel is famous throughout the world as the location where The College of Cardinals from The Roman Catholic Church, meet when a new Pope has to be elected.

Narrated by Liam Neeson, Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History, is a six-part CNN Original Series that explores how 12 apostles became 1.2 billion Catholics today, linking recent news events surrounding the Vatican with their unexpected origins.  “Ever since a man, claiming to be the Son of God, was nailed to a wooden cross over 2000 years ago, the Catholic religion has had a huge and profound influence and impact on our society," said Neeson. "As an amateur scholar myself, I was delighted to learn more about this by narrating a series that sheds a detailed light on how the Popes, past and present, and the Catholic Church came to be a prevailing force through fair means and foul, and along the way inspired some of the world’s greatest works of art.”

The series’ debut episode, “The Rise of the Pope,” examines the origins of the papacy and how Catholicism, against all odds, spread throughout Europe. Pope: The Most Powerful Man in History, will premiere Sunday, March 11 on CNN.