Showing posts with label Bethany House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bethany House. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

A Breath of Hope by Lauraine Snelling


A Breath of Hope is the second book of the Under Northern Skies series by Lauraine Snelling. It continues the story of the Carlson family—Rune, Signe, Bjorn, Knute, Leif, and Kirstin—who are still adapting to their new life after leaving Norway for America in the first book. Challenges continue with the difficult uncle they had moved there to help, as their relationship with the aunt and their new community continues to grow.

At first, the book is divided between their story and a story back in Norway where other relatives put plans in motion to join them in America. Raising money for the voyage was difficult, but eventually Rune's younger siblings Nilda and Ivar were able to save enough for one ticket, the other paid on credit from uncle Einar.

When they arrive, they quickly learn about Einar's terrible temper and how the community had been pushed away. Through the book though, the family learns to stand up for themselves more and more, while still trying to be loving to their family members no matter how difficult. When Einar suffers an injury, things become even more tense with him around the house all the time. The Carlson begin to work on their new house and the community steps into help, too.

This book is called A Breath of Hope for the way that despite everything that has happened, the family works to repair relationships and support one another and the community.

The story itself is pretty slow moving, with most just telling about everyday work around the house, farm, and in the woods cutting down trees. There is some drama and scandal early on, hints of future love interests for Nilda, and things do pick up in the last three chapters. Overall, the family is an interesting one to read about, but it really drug on in the middle for me. Sometimes it seemed hastily put together, as my mother pointed out when she read it in a minor plot line of Rune attempting to make skis, he mentioned that his father had made some in Norway, but then soon after says that his father hadn't made skis.

"You made skis before?"
Rune shook his head. "We used the ones my far made but could not bring them along. I know he used hickory..." (51)

"Rune checked in the press he had build to turn up the tips of the skis after he had soaked the planes and smoothed black ash. How would he know when it was dry? If only here were someone he could ask for advice. His far had not made skis, although he made anything else that was needed out of wood." (88)

Though it doesn't affect the story at all, this and other instances made the story feel as though it were rushed. I often felt that details were provided were completely unnecessary and slowed he story down.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the first in the series, as I felt it was very true to the series. Though this book was a little disappointing for me, I would still look forward to reading the next in the series because of the set up this book provided for future stories.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to post a positive review.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

"The Proving" by Beverly Lewis

The Proving is a sweet tale of discovery for a young former Amish-woman, Mandy, who returns to run her family's bed and breakfast following her mother's unexpected death. her inheritance of the inn was conditional upon her running it profitably for one year. After being moved away for five years and having given up her Amish lifestyle, there was a lot of adjustments to be made. Most of all, the rift with her twin sister Arie would be impossible to ignore once she moved back.

Mandy quickly learns that the Amish community she left isn't so willing to help out at the B&B while she owns it, dressing and acting like an Englisher. Firing Arie so she didn't have to work with her caused further strife with extended family. Soon working all by herself trying to keep up the B&B, Mandy is incredibly overworked and stressed. Still, she does her best to keep everything running, while also not working on the Lord's day.

It's not long before a difficult guest, Trina, shows up, constantly complaining and driving Mandy crazy. Desperate for help to run the B&B though, Trina may just be the answer to Mandy's prayers.

I was not a fan of the way that Trina's story line was introduced. After 3 chapters about Mandy, all of a sudden the 4th introduced Trina, but didn't go back to her again until 30 pages later. By that time, honestly I couldn't remember who she was and had to go back and look.

I was also thrown off by the epilogue being in first-person from Mandy's point of view after the entire book had been from third person point of view. Not that I'm against switching things up since the epilogue is different, but I just didn't see the benefit of it. It would have worked just the same as being in third person, so it could have stayed consistent. If anything, it would have actually worked better because it just seemed less genuine.

However, those minor annoyances did not get in the way of my enjoyment of this book. The Proving is a novel full of faith, friendships, family, love, and work ethic. I especially liked the ways that Mandy learned more about how her mother ran the inn while she was away, and  how Mandy began to have similar methods. It was immersive to read of the day-to-day tasks of running the inn. It sounded like a place that would be lovely to visit--a meadow full of butterflies, incredible homemade breakfasts, and a host who cares deeply about her guests.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to post a positive review.

Sunday, September 3, 2017

"The Promise of the Dawn" by Lauraine Snelling

The Promise of the Dawn is Lauraine Snelling's first book of her Under the Norther Skies series. Signe, her husband (Rune), and their three boys move from Norway to America to help Rune's uncle clear trees and care for sick Aunt Gerd. Since there wasn't many jobs available in Norway, the family accepts, even though they know it will be a difficult journey, hard work, and a lot of time before they'd be able to buy their own house.


Things in America are even harder than the family imagined. The aunt and uncle they had never met are rude and harsh, expecting more than the hard work the entire family gives all day long. The novel is primarily focused on watching the family members learn to stand up for themselves and love their aunt and uncle despite the hardships. On top of working hard to cut trees all day, tend the garden, cook meals, take care of Aunt Gerd, care for farm animals, and keep the house clean, Signe also learns that she's pregnant, which provides new challenges and an urgency to get their own house.

Uncle Einar is a hard character throughout the novel. He doesn't even show much love for his wife. However, Aunt Gerd changes quite a bit through the novel and eventually appreciates fully all that Signe, Rune, and the boys have been doing to help. I ended up really enjoying Signe and Gerd's relationship as it grew in the last quarter of the book.

Another favorite plot line was that Signe befriends the locals in a way that Uncle Einar and Aunt Gerd could never do after Uncle Einar had scared all of the neighbors away with his harshness. In Signe's moment of need, she recieves help from all of the neighbors, something that reminded her of her community in Norway.

Signe struggles with her relationship with God, but it doesn't really seem genuine to me. A freak accident in the woods (which ends up not being that bad, really) makes her question her previously strong faith. Eventually though she comes back to God and the family makes a point to attend church and become a part of the religious community as well.

Overall, I found the book to be very character driven. Not much happens outside day-to-day chores, but it is interesting nonetheless. There are definitely some big moments, but the main intrigue is in seeing how this family adjusts to this new life together in a new country.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but was not required to post a positive review.

Monday, May 1, 2017

"The Ebb Tide" by Beverly Lewis

The Ebb Tide introduces Sallie Riehl, a young Amish-woman who has not yet committed to the church, a tension point amidst her family. Sallie has strong faith and wants to be baptized, but she has dreams of travel that would be impossible once she joined. While Sallie waitressed at a diner, a family of regulars asked her to nanny for their daughter over the summer at their beach house. Finally given an opportunity to travel and see more of the world than her hometown, Sallie agrees.

Autumn, the young girl Sallie nannies for, is having a hard time adjusting to no longer being an only child after the birth of her younger brother. During their summer at the beach, Sallie prays for Autumn and tries in many ways to show her the blessing of having a sibling.

Sallie also meets Kevin, a marine biologist familiar with the Amish traditions. They have a quick friendship driven by shared love of travelling and God. She knows she shouldn't fall for him, not when perfectly good Perry Zook was waiting to court her back home. Sallie is tempted by many fancy things she wasn't exposed to at home and comes to question where her heart lies--joining the Amish church, or following her heart and seeing the world.

I really liked the characters of this novel. Every interaction had God at its center and felt very meaningful, but not overdone. Sallie has a great relationship with her Aunt, her soon-to-be married sister Frannie, Autumn, and Kevin, so even going between multiple story lines was always interesting. Sallie's kind an loving heart seemed genuine and her struggles were believable.

Because this book was half set in the Amish town, half on the beach, it was much more modern and easier to relate to than other books of this genre--making it the best I've read thus far.

My husband commented that I wasn't reading this book as fast as some others. I explained that while I was enjoying, it was also terribly predictable. I told him how many of these Amish Christian fiction books feature young female protagonists with one or more love interests, interactions with non-Amish-folk (Englishers), and undoubtedly would have a wedding in the epilogue. To prove my point, I flipped to the end of the book and skimmed part of the epilogue and read aloud, "blending of our hearts as husband and wife." I was only five chapters in to the book and I didn't know how we'd get to the ending, or who's wedding it was in the epilogue, but I knew it was the inevitable outcome.

I received a free copy of this book, but was not required to post a positive review.

Friday, April 14, 2017

To Review: "The Ebb Tide" by Beverly Lewis

After reading and reviewing Beverly Lewis' The Atonement last April, I'm excited to announce that I've just received a copy of her new book, The Ebb Tide, to review!
Oh to see the ocean, Sallie thought. And to spend the summer as a nanny. She shook her head in amazement. This seemed to good to be true, but she really must talk it over with Dat and Mamm, especially since she'd be gone so long.
And after I promised Mamm I'd take baptism classes this summer... 
--From the back cover 
Look for that post coming soon!

Monday, February 6, 2017

Review: "In the Shadow of Denali" by Tracie Peterson & Kimberley Woodhouse

Image result for In the Shadow of Denali (The Heart of Alaska)
In the Shadow of Denali is a pretty straightforward christian love story. The main story line involves a young woman, Cassidy, who is suddenly attracting two men at the hotel where she works. However, the main love interest, Allan, has come to Alaska to learn more about his father's death, which could have been the cause of some mystery and suspense, but is not presented that way. Cassidy's father ends up being a christian mentor to both Allan, and the smitten-with-Cassidy young kitchen hand, Thomas.

The relationship between Cassidy and her father is quite endearing. He shares a lot of wisdom with her and it is obvious throughout the book that she has taken his lessons to heart.

There's also an interesting story to the head cook with whom Cassidy works, Mrs. Johnson. She seems more genuine than the other characters and willingly shares her struggles with Cassidy. The parts where Cassidy and Mrs. Johnson talk about God and faith are more engaging than other moments where the interactions between characters seem forced.

As a work of historical fiction, the book performs admirably. I learned a lot about Denali from reading it. It includes some interesting passages where the President visits the mountain. There's a few pages at the end of the book that explain all of the historical context and what necessitated fictionalization. It was an interesting insight both into the available information (gaps included) and the writer's process.

However, overall the book fell flat for me with repetitive monologues from characters pining over one another, assuming that feelings were unrequited. If you're looking for a quick read that ties up all story lines in a nice little bow, has a tiny bit of suspense, and characters who fall in love with the idea of one another, you may enjoy this book more than I did. There were many places this book could have been more mysterious but chose to give everything away and spell things out for the reader. It ends in a tired way, leaving nothing for the reader to think or wonder about.

I received a free copy of this book, but was not required to write a positive review.

Monday, November 14, 2016

"From This Day Forward" by Lauraine Snelling

From This Day Forward by Lauraine Snelling is the fourth book in the Song of Blessing series. I hadn't read any of the other books in the series, but that did not cause me any trouble. If you're familiar with the series though, you may already know some of the side characters.

Image result for from this day forward snelling
In this story, Deborah MacCallister is a lovesick nurse who can't get any attention from Toby, the man she spend the whole book (and most of her life since childhood) pining over. Toby is a construction foreman who spends all of his time trying to build a new school for deaf children. Between her own busy hospital shifts, Deborah tries a few desperate measures to win his affections. She takes him food, does his laundry, and even enlists the help of the women of the town to help push the two together. When a handsome new school teacher arrives in town, Toby is suddenly very concerned that he might lose Deborah, though he doesn't really act upon those fears until she goes away for a month-long hospital-training trip in Chicago.


Though the main point of contention in the novel is "who will Deborah choose?" between her childhood crush and the school teacher, the latter doesn't arrive until two-thirds into the book. Further, she doesn't really even seriously consider him as an option, which ends up leaving the main story of the book "when will Toby and Deborah get together."

The book also features several in-depth side stories, some of which seem to get as much if not more page space than Deborah and Toby. There's wild dogs that must be hunted, a spat between siblings, and a nonverbal mother raising her infant child with the help of other women of the community. Though all of these sub-plots add to the picture of Blessing as an idyllic Christian town, it also just takes up a lot of extra pages, obscuring the main point of the book. I really liked some of the characters and was invested in the Deborah-Toby-school teacher romance, but it took way to long to for anything to actually happen.

The book gives a nice overview of a Christ-focused community and includes several prayers and mentions of Bible passages. Perhaps those already familiar with the Blessing series will be much more entertained by the sweeping descriptions of everyone else's lives in the community. For me, I'd have to pass as there isn't enough of a story here.

I received a free copy of this book, but was not required to write a positive review.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Review: "The Atonement" by Beverly Lewis

When her father brings home an Englisher, a person not of the Amish church, and begins teaching him the ways of a simpler lifestyle, Lucy is uncomfortably reminded of her past history dating outside the church and all of the hurt it brought her and those around her. Convinced she will never allow herself to love again, she spends every moment she can volunteering. Through grief counseling, family, scripture, and the wise words of friends, Lucy works toward forgiving herself and accepting the church back into her heart. With a young Amish man begging for her attention and her father's young Englisher acquaintance getting friendly with her, as soon as Lucy heals her relationship with God, she'll have another relationship to figure out.

Not a whole lot actually happens in The Atonement, but the main characters are very likable and there's enough interest in the day-to-day of the Amish life (at least for someone who has not read much about it in the past). From helping a young homeless mother and her child find employment and a home to sharing life stories with an old couple as the wife is in hospice care to helping a family in an overturned carriage, Lucy's kind heart makes this book a pleasure to read.

Most of the book is about the drama and lack of acceptance from the members of the church have about spending time with Englishers. Another source of conflict is that many families in the community are considering moving out west. The importance of family, repentance, and forgiveness are themes throughout.

The characters' speech was written in dialect and included some italicized Pennsylvania Dutch words throughout. It was usually pretty easy to figure out what the sentiment was, but not always what the exact translation was. I'm personally not a huge fan of reading written dialect because I find it distracting, but I can see how it adds to the authenticity.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Review: "Cold Shot" by Dani Pettrey

When law enforcement seems less than keen on investigating a recent murder at Gettysburg, an unlikely band of friends take up the reigns to find truth and justice. Park ranger Griffin McCray discovers the body and calls in anthropologist (and love interest) Finley Scott. Griffin's grade school friends, FBI Declan Grey and crime scene analyst Parker Mitchell join in when the FBI tells Declan he's on his own for this investigation. They determine that the victim was killed by a skilled sniper and then a lab assistant is killed when someone attempts to steal the victims body. Then they realize how much danger they are in: at any moment, they could be in the killer's sights.


As a romance story, Cold Shot does a nice job of showing Griffin and Finley's growing attraction for one another. Their trust is apparent both in dangerous situations as well as in sharing their personal lives. Both Finley and Griffin are working through a difficult time in their past and I thought Pettrey did a great job of showing how they related to one another and could really help the other to put trust in God to help find peace.

As a mystery/thriller, I had mixed feelings. I was very wrapped up in the case and it was suspenseful and intriguing. However, in solving the mystery, I felt that the author had a unrealistically complicated answer. It reminded me of watching House MD where the doctors would try to say the patient had two super rare diseases, when instead the real answer was one thing that explained all symptoms. The sniper thing was a little over done too: at the end of chapters, there was often a few paragraphs that were an unknown sniper talking to someone else on the phone about watching the characters. Later when their identities were revealed, they were filled into these "mysterious" paragraphs. I really didn't care to see what the "bad guys" were thinking -- it didn't add anything to the story and was distracting. I didn't need to be constantly reminded that there was a sniper out there watching them.

As a Christian book, there were some Biblical references worked into the story and italicized internal prayers of several characters. I wasn't a huge fan of the way the prayers were used because it often felt repetitive to surrounding text and the different characters' prayers didn't seem to have a different voice at all. I think prayer is highly individual, so it seemed unrealistic that two practical strangers happened to pray in a very similar. However, when Christianity informed a character's decisions or thoughts, that seemed more natural and effective.

After reading Cold Shot (book one of the Chesapeake Valor series) and Silenced (book four of the Alaskan Courage series), I've been consistently interested in the content and mystery of the author's books, but the writing style doesn't seem to be working for me. It's disappointing because I did enjoy Silenced and thought I would really enjoy more if a few things were done differently, but Cold Shot rubbed me the wrong way for different reasons and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit less than Silenced. It's a decent read, but not something I would want to reread, and I don't think I would attempt any others in the series.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Bethany House for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Review: "Undaunted Hope" by Jody Hedlund

In Undaunted Hope, Tessa must face many challenges as a new teacher in Eagle Harbor, a mining town in northern Michigan, in 1871. Classified as historical fiction, there's a wonderful author's note at the end of the book speaking to what parts were historical. Tessa and the school house she works at are modeled off a school teacher's diary from the time period.

The antagonist, Percival Updegraff, is the chief mine clerk who takes advantage of his position of power to rule the town, limiting supplies, punishing protesters with longer work hours, and even raping the miners' wives. He is also unfortunately based off a real person.

Though most people in the town are afraid to speak against Updegraff, Tessa and the two lighthouse keepers are employed by the state, not the mine, and therefore find themselves locked in a constant battle trying to end Updegraff's tyrannical reign.

The lighthouse keepers, brothers Michael and Alex Bjorklund, have their own little battle going on as well, as they've both taken a fancy to Tessa. But with Updegraff's strict rules that married women can't teach, Tessa struggles with how to maintain a pure reputation and keep her distance from the two men.

Haunted by her past growing up in a lighthouse, Tessa's also convinced that she'll have nothing to do with one ever again - not after she saw the dangers firsthand.

Undaunted Hope is, as the title suggests, a story of hope and personal growth. Tessa's character is determined to live a Godly life and be a blessing to those in her new community. She goes out of her way to hold after school spelling classes to prepare for a spelling bee, and even an evening class for adults, all without extra compensation. The story definitely has a dark side with death, rape, and hints of murder, but through it all the characters place their faith in God and trust in him. This novel is the third book in the Beacons of Hope series, but the first one I've read, which didn't hurt my enjoyment of the book.

It was a very fast and captivating read, and the historical detail was exceptionally well-done. As I said, the author's note at the end did a fabulous job of putting the entire story in perspective.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Bethany House for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Review: "The Shock of Night" by Patrick W. Carr

In The Shock of Night, evil is breaking forth from the Darkwater forest, but only a few are aware of the dangers. In a world where some people are "gifted" with special powers, Willet Dura unexpectedly is passed a rare and forgotten gift -- a gift that allows him to see the thoughts and memories of anyone he touches. As the king's reeve, he sets about using his new gift to investigate a suspicious murder. The Vigil, a group of others with the same gift, warn him of the dangers of the gift, and help him learn to use it. Though they're not certain they can trust him due to an impenetrable vault of memories hidden in his mind, they will need his help if they wish to uncover what is happening to all of the people who visited the Darkwater forest.

The first book of The Darkwater Saga, the novel is trying to accomplish a lot of world building and historical significance, a difficult task even in its more than 450 pages. I had unanswered questions and some plot confusion, but perhaps all will be answered in upcoming books.

Published by a Christian publishing company, I was having a little trouble with the religion of this world. It is clear that many characters have a strong faith in Aer (God), and it even seems as though Aer may be a triune god (two other names are sometimes mentioned), but it really isn't clear. In future books of this series, I would hope to have more details if I'm to believe that this should really be considered Christian fiction instead of secular fiction.

The way author Patrick Carr crafts the "gifts" of the world he has built for this series is unique and was a major highlight of the novel. For Willet's particular gift, we get to see how he learns to store the memories he receives from others as books on a book shelf in his mind. This and other details of the specifics of how the gifts work and how Willet learns to use his is very interesting and sets this book apart.

Willet Dura may be an unreliable narrator, as he is unable to remember parts of his past and incapable of seeing inside the black vault of his mind, but otherwise he is a fun person to read about in first person. He makes friends with the poor and the ignored and uses everyone else's avoidance of these people to his advantage. His skills as an investigator are Sherlock Holmes-like, which I found enjoyable to read. I look forward to seeing him continue on this adventure in future books.

FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Bethany House Publishers for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Review: "Silenced" by Dani Pettrey

The fourth book of the Alaskan Courage series, Silenced by Dani Pettrey, is a suspenseful, romantic, Christian book that combines the beauty of Alaska, love, and faith with a murder mystery investigation, making for a book like nothing I've ever read before.

Kayden, an avid rock climbing adventurer, discovers a body while out on a tough mountain pass. Jake, a former detective, comes out of early retirement to work the case for what they realize was actually a murder.  Overcoming a history of distrust, Kayden and Jake work the case together, and as they do, they realize there's something brewing between them.

The first half of the book involves a lot of running back and forth between different suspects and witnesses, garnering what seemed like one fact from each person, only to return the next day for another single question to be answered.  Though perhaps true to how a detective works, it was repetitive and slow paced to move between about four different people, each "questioned" upwards of three separate times.

The second half was a whole different story, literally. By the time I finished reading, I couldn't remember what happened in the first half, since the first story line completely stopped and was never mentioned again.  That being said, the story really picks up in the second half and moves quickly - impossible to set down.  In the midst of a suspenseful and sickening kidnapping, family bands together to show the impossible strength of love and faith.

Silenced did a beautiful job of describing the scenery and explaining Alaskan life. It got cheesy at times, due to the romantic side of the book, but the adventure/investigation side was all business.  Though it was hard for me to stay interested during the bouncing between interviews part of the investigation, the rest of the novel made up for its shortcomings with exciting detective work and chases through the woods.

This book has it all: adventure, love, faith, murder, investigations, kidnapping, heartbreak, Alaskan wilderness, and family values.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Bethany House for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

To Review: "Silenced" by Dani Pettrey and "30 Days to a More Beautiful You" by Kylie Bisutti


This week in the mail, I received two new books to review! First up is Silenced by Dani Pettrey. Here's the first two sentences of the back of the book teaser: "A relaxing day of rock climbing takes a disturbing turn when Kayden McKenna's route brings her face-to-face with a dead climber.  Is it a terrible accident or something darker?"  Sounds like an exciting mystery! Can't wait to read it!



30 Days to a More Beautiful You by Kylie Bisutti is a devotional for teenage girls.  It includes a Bible verse, a short anecdote (just a few paragraphs), two reflection questions, and then a "true beauty tip" such as "You have inherent value as God's child" for each day (7).

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Review: "Caught in the Middle" by Regina Jennings

"If he's foolish enough to cross us, then our election strategy will have to be reevaluated.  What's the point of electing him if he's uncooperative?" (189)
Caught in the Middle by Regina Jennings is a historical Christian fiction story about Nick Lovelace, a railroad and government man, and his unlikely encounter with an old acquaintance, Anne Tillerton.  The story begins with both Nick and Anne standing up to some train robbers, after which their paths continue to cross and a dynamic relationship forms between them.

At the beginning of the story, Anne is very much a type-character: she rebels against societal norms for women and that seems to be the only character trait she has.  She dresses like a man, hunts buffalo, and refuses to accept any attention from a man.

Through a series of unfortunate events, Anne becomes the caretaker for a young boy, Sammy.  Again, the focus is mostly on the fact that single parents do not fit in to society, regardless of the circumstances.  Stereotypically fitting with her refusal to don a dress as is considered proper for a lady, she is also unsure of how to care for a child, seeming to completely lack maternal instinct.

At the story progresses, the character becomes more fully developed and begins to make realistic decisions instead of just going with whatever the obvious rebellious action would be.

Part of being accepted into the 1883 Garber Texas society includes going to church.  Anne is not a woman of faith at the beginning of the novel and her Christian development through the book seems a little strained.  When she decides to become the official mother to Sammy, she decides that "she would start small, ease into this new role.  Instead of ridiculing the sermons on Sunday, she would give he pastor a chance.  Praying would be a good start, and she could learn the language of faith that everyone around her spoke so fluently.  If it paid off, then maybe she'd trust God with a little more" (153).  Her thought process in connecting becoming a mother to becoming a Christian was not clear.

However, Nick, the pious and God-fearing man, had more realistic faith dilemmas.  No Christian character can know or understand everything, just as no Christian can, which is why Nick's faith experiences were more relateable.  Nick struggled with God's role in his life: "Success always involved risk, and God had faithfully smiled on his endeavors.  And would continue to do so.  He had to, right?  As long as Nicholas followed the rules and obeyed the Bible, his fortunes would continue to rise, his domain would continue to expand.  Wasn't that the bargain?" (194).

The plot is captivating, although it was a bit slow to start even with a train robbery in the second chapter.  Through the rest of the book Anne and Nick overcome many different types of challenges: fitting into society, raising a child, dealing with corrupt political schemes...Anne also has to overcome a troubling past, as we learn more and more captivating details.

My mother who enjoys Christian historical fiction often enjoyed this book, though she too, found some of the Christian conversations to be forced or unrealistic.  I would still recommend Caught in the Middle as a heart-wrenching struggle between doing what is right and doing what you want.


FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from Bethany House for this review.  The opinion in this review is unbiased and reflects my honest judgment of the product.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

To Review: Nick and Tesla by "Science Bob" Pfugffelder & Steve Hockensmith and "Caught in the Middle" by Regina Jennings

Nick and Tesla books were in the mail today, courtesy of Quirk books.  I will be reviewing Secret Agent Gadget Battle, Robot Army Rampage, and High-Voltage Danger Lab by "Science Bob" Pfugffelder and  Steve Hockensmith.

Also in line to be reviewed is Caught in the Middle, by Regina Jennings from Bethany House.