Book Review: A Miracle of Hope by Ruth Reid

My thoughts:
This is a book where you can easily step into the story.  You feel like you know the characters.  With Lindie, sensing her unease, desire to start over, and more (can't tell you!).  I understood Josiah's need to fill a hole in his family, without considering the whole of his heart.  Speaking of hearts, mine ached for little Hannah. I felt Simon's struggle with the loss of his daughter and this new woman stepping into her life.

Lindie is lost, Josiah is broken.  What happens when these two come together in an arranged marriage?  Is the love growing between them enough?  Or will their ever after need A Miracle of Hope.

While it could have easily fallen into traditional plot lines and become uninteresting, it didn't.  I guessed a few things early on but it didn't detract from the story in anyway.

Would I recommend this book?  Absolutely!  I sat down to read this book one night, and before I knew it I was half done.  I spend the next day counting down the hours until I could get home and finish it.  Which I did.  It's a great book for fans of Amish fiction, stories of arranged marriages in modern times, finding hope and more.

A few favorite short passages:
"Your marriage isn't too hard for God, but it does require you taking your place of authority as head of the haus."

"… I placed mei hope in the Lord and then He made mei joy complete."

My Rating: 4/5 stars.

(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.)

From the Publisher:  She’s heard about forgiveness all her life, but how far does God’s mercy truly reach?

Lindie Wyse thinks an arranged marriage is the only way to preserve a future for herself and her unborn child. Josiah Plank is certain he’ll never love again, but he needs someone to care for his deaf eight-year-old daughter, Hannah. The two take on their arrangement tentatively at first but soon realize they are each in for more than they imagined. After a short time, Lindie experiences a breakthrough with Hannah when she recognizes the child’s special gifts, but a risky pregnancy and serious health issues threaten to demolish the foundation Josiah and Lindie are building—and the love that is growing between them.

Will their marriage survive their struggles, or will their hearts become as cold as the northern winter?

Book Review: The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E Ladd

My Thoughts:
Patience has stepped in for her father, continuing his dream of running Rosemere Girls School, after he dies and her brother disappears to London.  However, is being the Headmistress of Rosemere all that Patience wants?  Is it all that she is meant to do?  Or does Patience need to have a little patience that her story is not over, it's simply beginning.  That God has a plan for her even if it has yet to be revealed?

The feeling of impatience is one that many know.  You have a plan for your life, a vision of where you are headed.  Then things go wrong, or it's not what you expected.  Then what?

Patience, one of the main characters in the book, has a very apropos name for the theme that stood out most to me in the book. Is she meant to be more than just the Headmistress of Rosemere?

Would I Recommend the Book?  Yes, I would recommend this book to fans of Regency era stories, Jane Austen and Julie Klassen.

I adored Ms. Ladd's first book in the series, Heiress of Winterwood.  It was my favorite book in 2013.  I was really excited to read the next installment.  I was worried that I wouldn't be let Headmistress of Rosemere stand on its own, that I would consistently compare it to the first one in the series.  While I did think back often to Amelia and Graham I was happy to give Patience and William a chance.  And you should too!

My Rating:  4/5 stars.


(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.)

Purchase a copy here.
Purchase the first book in the series, Heiress of Winterwood, here.
Find out more about Sarah E Ladd here.


From the Publisher: Patience Creighton has dedicated herself to the Rosemere School for Young Ladies. But the return of the enigmatic master of the estate puts everything she loves at risk.

Bright, sensible Patience knows what is expected of her. At twenty-five, her opportunity for a family of her own has passed, so she invests herself in teaching at her father’s school for girls. When her father dies suddenly and her brother moves away to London, she is determined to make the school successful.

Confirmed bachelor William Sterling also knows what is expected of him, but mistake after mistake has left him teetering on ruin’s edge. As master of Eastmore Hall he owns a great deal of property — including the land where Rosemere School is located — but possesses little money to manage its upkeep. When debtors start calling, he is desperate to find a new source of income, even if it means sacrificing Rosemere.

When a fire threatens the school grounds, William must decide to what lengths he is willing to go to protect his birthright. And when Patience’s brother returns with a new wife to take over management of the school, Patience suddenly finds herself unsure of her calling. After a surprising truth about William’s past is brought to light, both William and Patience will have to seek God’s plans for their lives—and their hearts.

Book Review: The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

From the Publisher:
    Finding himself the man of the family, London dancing master Alec Valcourt moves his mother and sister to remote Devonshire, hoping to start over. But he is stunned to learn the village matriarch has prohibited all dancing, for reasons buried deep in her past.

    Alec finds an unlikely ally in the matriarch's daughter. Though he's initially wary of Julie Midwinter's reckless flirtation, he comes to realize her bold exterior disguises a vulnerable soul—and hidden sorrows of her own.

    Julia is quickly attracted to the handsome dancing master—a man her mother would never approve of—but she cannot imagine why Mr. Valcourt would leave London, or why he evades questions about his past. With Alec's help, can Julia uncover old secrets and restore life to her somber village . . . and to her mother's tattered heart?

    Filled with mystery and romance, The Dancing Master brings to life the intriguing profession of those who taught essential social graces for ladies and gentlemen hoping to make a "good match" in Regency England.

My Thoughts:  The idea of an entire activity or action being banned across an entire town seemed unbelievable to me.  How can one person have such influence over an entire population?  I thought about the number of times in history where changes, good or bad, are imposed on a population (hello 1920's America).  It can be done, and so I settled in for an afternoon in Regency England.

As I started reading The Dancing Master I found Julia's reckless flirtation and attitude off-putting.  It was really hard for me to like her.  While in contrast to that I found Alec's dedication and loyalty to his family charming.  I think that this characterization made the book a better story for me.  It made the characters real.  You don't like everyone in the world, some rub you the wrong way.  However in this story it was interesting to see Julia's growth through the eyes of Alec.  As he gets to know her, how does this prickly rose transform through her contact and friendship with The Dancing Master?

The reasoning behind dancing's prohibition in Beaworthy fell a little flat to me.  Perhaps as more of a frustration of it's origins that the reason itself.  The emotion behind it is real, even if the justification was hard.  (I'm being intentionally vague so I don't ruin it!  You'll have to read it for yourself.)

However, by the time I finished the book I really enjoyed it.  There are a lot of secondary characters which can get a little overwhelming, but they all tie together nicely it's hard to imagine one of the Felton brothers, the Thornes, the Allens, the Desmonds, Mrs. Tickle, or Mr. Barlow not being there.

Would I Recommend the Book?  I am not a huge fan of dancing in practice (I'm terrible!), but I am a fan of Julie Klassen's The Dancing Master.  It is a book worth checking out.

My Rating:  3.5/5 stars.

(Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.)

Find more reviews here:  http://litfusegroup.com/author/jklassen
Find more information about Julie Klassen and her books on her website.

The Headmistress of Rosemere Giveaway

Don't miss Sarah Ladd's latest Regency novel, The Headmistress of Rosemere. She is celebrating the release of book two in her Whispers on the Moors series with a fun "School" Your Desk Kindle Fire Giveaway and an Author Chat Facebook Party!

Between January 17–28, visit Sarah Ladd's Facebook Page to enter to win a new giveaway each day and be entered to win a Kindle Fire grand prize. Winners will be announced at the Facebook Author Chat party on January 28th! (Don't have a Facebook account? Enter here.)

RSVP today for Sarah's The Headmistress of Rosemere Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Sarah will be hosting a book chat, testing your Regency trivia skills, announcing the winner of the "School" Your Desk Giveaway, and giving away books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving partygoers an exclusive look at the next book in the Whispers on the Moors series!

So grab your copy of The Headmistress of Rosemere and hope to see you on the evening of January 28th! (If you haven’t read the book, don’t let that stop you from coming!)

DON’T MISS A MOMENT OF THE FUN; RSVP TODAY. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 28th!

A Word for 2014

Last year I had discovered people on the internet choosing a word.  A single word that would inspire, encourage, uplift them through the next 365 days.

My word last year was RECLAIM.  I wanted to reclaim my health, my career, my faith and more.

This year I made a list of words that were jumping out at me.  Words that I kept thinking of.  The length of my list was a roller coaster.  It went up, it went down, it took a few twists and turns and then threw me around a loop-d-loop.

As of yesterday morning I narrowed my list down to four words.  Each feels like it could be the best one.

I had coffee with my Intern Pastor and a former youth group student.  We had a FANTASTIC conversation.  We talked about our lives, school, and a few faith questions.  I went throughout a busy day and as I laid in bed I was reflecting on some journaling I had been doing based on bible readings from the past week.  As I was reflecting, a certain word popped into my head a few times.

It felt first like a switch had been flipped, a light had gone on.  Then it was a sense of peace.

After a time of discernment, taking time to ensure I picked the right word for me, I discovered the word that would lead me throughout 2014.  That word is:

So here is to 2014.  May it be full of grace.  Receiving, accepting, and understanding it.  I may not know yet why that is my word, but I'm sticking to it.  

Many things in life can wait… but The Sunset Won't.

Julie Klassen "The Dancing Master" Giveaway!

Best-selling author Julie Klassen will be hosting a Kindle Fire HDX giveaway and a live webcast event (1/23) to celebrate the release of her latest novel, The Dancing Master. Enter and RSVP today!

 
  One winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX
• The Dancing Master by Julie Klassen

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 23rd. Winner will be announced at the "All Things Jane (from Austen to Eyre)" Live Webcast Event on January 23rd. Connect with Julie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Julie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, Jane Austen DVDs, fun "Jane" merchandise, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Dancing Master and join Julie and friends on the evening of January 23rd for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 23rd!

Dear 2014

Dear 2014,
I hate to be rude.  I'm sorry it's taken me a while to write.  2013 had a letter written him, as did 2012.  I was rather excited to meet 2012, but was hesitant about 2013.

You, 2014.  I have a better feeling about you.

I know we have been getting acquainted for almost two weeks now.  Let me be honest, you've hit me hard with cold weather.  Before you I'd never heard of a polar vortex, felt a windchill at -50 degrees.  I've never had school canceled due to cold by the Governor of my state.  I'm hoping this string of weather isn't a sign of what's to come.  Have you gotten it out of your system?  Flushed it out of the lines?

Let me tell you something about myself 2014.  I'm a little nervous.  I'm nervous about what you've heard from your chums.  Especially that 2013.  We had a few rough patches.  We got stuck in a few ruts.  We did have some good times too.

So I'm hopeful.  Like a little child picking up a dandelion and blowing on it, sending off dozens of little wishes into the air.

I'm hoping for a year of ups.  A year of laughs.  A year of discovery.  A year of more ups than downs on our way to December 31st.

My Favorite Reads from 2013 and a Look at 2014

With over 1500 ebooks, and a book shelf full of unread books it's hard to find time to do all the reading I'd like to.  With the time I did have I was able to read some great, and some not so great, books.

What books were my favorites in 2013?

Adulting by Kelly Wiliams Brown

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The Quarryman's Bride by Tracie Peterson

Land of Shining Waters, Book Two

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Published Prior to 2013

Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

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The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

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A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund

Michigan Brides, Book Two

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Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

The Royal Wedding Series, Book One

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Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren

A Christiansen Family Novel, Book One

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The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd

Whispers on the Moors, Book One

My Favorite Read of 2013!

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What books am I looking forward to in 2014?

It Had to Be You by Susan May Warren

A Christiansen Family Novel, Book Two

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Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

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Shadowed By Grace by Cara Putman

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Undetected by Dee Henderson

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Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd

Whispers on the Moors, Book Two

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All Things Hidden by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

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Did you have a favorite book in 2013?  Or a few of them?

What books are you looking forward to reading in 2014?

Remember, many things in life can wait… 

but The Sunset Won't.

Read Through the Bible in a Year: Genesis

I really enjoy how active some Christian authors are on social media.  One of those authors Tricia Goyer can be found in several different places on the web.

It is through following her on Facebook that I found out about the "Women's Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year."  Interest piqued I took a look and found the nook version on sale, so I purchased it.  Then I found that she had started a Facebook group, so that women from around the world could read and discuss together.

These are two things I've never done.  Participated in an online study group of sorts, and read through the entire bible, let alone reading it in a year.

That being said I decided to jump on board.  Four days in and I'm on track.  I'm hoping it lasts.

Day one I read something in a way that I never had before.  I've read Genesis 1 countless times throughout my life… God creates the heavens and the earth, oceans and land, animals of many kinds.

Genesis 1:4

God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 

 God called the light "day" and the darkness he called "night."

Here is what struck me, God didn't take away the darkness.  He separated it.  It wasn't diminished, hidden or tucked away in a corner.  It was given attention.  It's own proper time.  Just like the light.  

I had what Oprah Winfrey would call an A-ha moment.  I connected this verse with hard times, dark times in life.  With depression.  With loss.  Or being lost.  While you are in those moments you can sometimes feel suffocated by the dark.  By the absence of light.  

We know that light follows the dark, day follows every night.  We just have to remember that will happen in our lives too.  

Genesis 1:16

… a greater light to govern the day.

The sun is so much brighter than the moon.  It starts out dim, just a whisper over the horizon.  Hues of blue and purple and pink.  Bringing the promise of a bright orange sun.  We just have to believe in the moments of night in our lives, that the greater light will bring us the day.

Remember, many things in life can wait… 

but The Sunset Won't.