Title: When We Were Brave
Author: Suzanne Kelman
Publish Date: February 24, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "She needed everything in her life, including her history, to make sense."
In When We Were Brave, Suzanne Kelman takes us through a dual timeline.
She does a great job with the dual timelines. It didn't matter which timeline I was in, the past or the present, I felt like I was in that time.
In the present day, we are following Sophie, a woman who is dealing with the death of her daughter and her mother, as well as a boyfriend who has been cheating on her. Everybody handles grief in different ways. Sophie wants to be surrounded by reminders of her daughter, Emily. Matt wants to be surrounded by his female co-worker.
Sophie comes across a photograph with a woman in it, with a stance that resembles that of her family. She takes a picture of the photograph and sets off to visit her grandmother to find out if, by chance, this woman is kin to them. With reluctance, Sophie's grandmother tells her that it is her Great Aunt Vivienne, and that they do not talk about her. She also tells her that sometimes the past is better left right where it is. Sophie cannot just let the past stay in the past. She cannot stop thinking about the woman in the photograph and her story.
Quote: "On some level she felt that is was no accident that the photograph had come into her life right now."
In the past, we follow Vivienne, a British spy in WWII. Or is she?
We jump back and forth as we follow Sophie trying to find the answer to that question.
In When We Were Brave, we go on a journey for the truth. Was Vivi really a spy for her country, or was she a traitor? Some things are not as they seem. There's always more to the story.
Quote: "I'm a firm believer that the truth always comes out in the end."
How far will Sophie go to find answers?
Love. What will be sacrificed in the name of love?
War. What will be sacrificed for country?
Love.
War.
Grief.
Betrayal.
Loyalty.
Unlikely relationships.
Travel.
I highly recommend this book, if you enjoy any of the above. Oh, and remember the swallows...
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review When We Were Brave.
Monday, February 3, 2020
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Title: The Orphan House
Author: Ann Bennett
Publish Date: February 28, 2020
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5
"One day, everything changed."
Home. Everybody has a reason for going home.
Secrets. Everybody has secrets. Sometimes the secrets are not our secrets we are keeping.
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us into the lives of Connie and Sarah. The Orphan House, is dual perspective. Well, it is actually triple, if you consider the mysterious diary that was given to Connie by Anna.
We start off in 1934, with Connie walking to the door of Cedar Hall Orphanage, and seeing the housekeeper holding a tiny baby...another abandoned baby. Connie's dad is in charge of the orphanage, and as always, he will take care of the paperwork.
Then, we jump to present day and Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is headed back home to tell her dad. She's not sure she will ever be able to go back to Alex. After what he has done, how can she?
These two women have a lot of questions they need to find the answers to. How will the lives of these two women intersect?
What lengths will Connie go to in order to protect her dad's secrets?
What lengths will Sarah go to in order to find the answers to her dad's past?
Daughters usually put their dads on a pedestal, but what happens when that pedestal gets shattered by the truth?
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us down a path that ultimately leads to healing. The twists and turns of how we get there, will sometimes find you breathless.
Reasons to read The Orphan House:
If you like drama.
If you like father/daughter relationships.
If you like secrets.
If you like full circle moments.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Orphan House.
Author: Ann Bennett
Publish Date: February 28, 2020
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5
"One day, everything changed."
Home. Everybody has a reason for going home.
Secrets. Everybody has secrets. Sometimes the secrets are not our secrets we are keeping.
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us into the lives of Connie and Sarah. The Orphan House, is dual perspective. Well, it is actually triple, if you consider the mysterious diary that was given to Connie by Anna.
We start off in 1934, with Connie walking to the door of Cedar Hall Orphanage, and seeing the housekeeper holding a tiny baby...another abandoned baby. Connie's dad is in charge of the orphanage, and as always, he will take care of the paperwork.
Then, we jump to present day and Sarah Jennings has left her husband and is headed back home to tell her dad. She's not sure she will ever be able to go back to Alex. After what he has done, how can she?
These two women have a lot of questions they need to find the answers to. How will the lives of these two women intersect?
What lengths will Connie go to in order to protect her dad's secrets?
What lengths will Sarah go to in order to find the answers to her dad's past?
Daughters usually put their dads on a pedestal, but what happens when that pedestal gets shattered by the truth?
In The Orphan House, Ann Bennett takes us down a path that ultimately leads to healing. The twists and turns of how we get there, will sometimes find you breathless.
Reasons to read The Orphan House:
If you like drama.
If you like father/daughter relationships.
If you like secrets.
If you like full circle moments.
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review The Orphan House.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Title: Sanctification: God's Passion for His People
Author: John F. MacArthur Jr.
Publish Date: February 11, 2020
Genre: Christian, Religion & Spirituality
Page Count: 80
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "Sanctification is a process of fighting for full joy and not selling out for a cheap substitute along the way."
John MacArthur, like Paul, has no problem being the unpopular opinion. In his book, Sanctification: God's Passion for His People, he shares his unpopular opinion on sanctification.
As believers, we must have a heart for the souls of the lost. We must not sugarcoat sins. We must also be ready to call out fellow believers who are more concerned with being popular, instead of following what Paul warned the early church about.
I appreciate that MacArthur uses Scripture as the backbone for his books. This book is no different. I believe that every believer would benefit from reading, Sanctification: God's Passion for His People. This book puts into perspective how all believers should not be concerned with popularity, but instead, be concerned with the sanctification of the saints.
#Sanctification #NetGalley
Author: John F. MacArthur Jr.
Publish Date: February 11, 2020
Genre: Christian, Religion & Spirituality
Page Count: 80
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Quote: "Sanctification is a process of fighting for full joy and not selling out for a cheap substitute along the way."
John MacArthur, like Paul, has no problem being the unpopular opinion. In his book, Sanctification: God's Passion for His People, he shares his unpopular opinion on sanctification.
As believers, we must have a heart for the souls of the lost. We must not sugarcoat sins. We must also be ready to call out fellow believers who are more concerned with being popular, instead of following what Paul warned the early church about.
I appreciate that MacArthur uses Scripture as the backbone for his books. This book is no different. I believe that every believer would benefit from reading, Sanctification: God's Passion for His People. This book puts into perspective how all believers should not be concerned with popularity, but instead, be concerned with the sanctification of the saints.
#Sanctification #NetGalley
Wednesday, August 7, 2019
Title: Things You Save in a Fire
Author: Katherine Center
Published: August 13, 2019
Genre: Romance
Page count: 320
My rating: 4.25 out of 5
Quote: "The best revenge is forgetting."
Forgiveness. How does forgiveness work? In Things You Save in a Fire, Katherine Center takes us into the life of Cassie Hanwell, as she tries to figure out how to answer that question. Cassie isn't your average woman. Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter. She is one of the guys. They are no match for her. She can hold her own and theirs too. She can match them step for step and even surpass them in many things. Cassie is settled into her scheduled life. She loves her job and is quite comfortable with her crew.
However, little does she know, her comfortable life is about to become anything but comfortable.
One event and one phone call changes everything. Cassie gets a call from her mother, Diana. Diana needs Cassie to come live with her for a while and take care of some things for her. Diana left Cassie and her dad, Ted when Cassie was sixteen years old. The thought of helping her mother do anything, is far fetched in Cassie's mind. The thought of forgiveness and ever loving again were both ruined for Cassie, on the day Diana chose to leave her family behind.
Katherine Center shows us a heart that has been hardened by pain caused by the people closest to Cassie. Through the life of Cassie Hanwell, we see the struggle of trying to forgive those people.
Will the new life Cassie has to start cause her to have a change of heart?
Will a boy who crushed her when she was sixteen keep her from allowing a man to lift her up?
Will Cassie learn to forgive the people who have hurt her, or will she continue to have a shell around her heart?
How will she respond when something tragic happens and she must make a choice?
If you enjoy books about life, love, tragedy, strong women, and complicated relationships, then Things You Save in a Fire is a book I would definitely recommend you pick up.
Author: Katherine Center
Published: August 13, 2019
Genre: Romance
Page count: 320
My rating: 4.25 out of 5
Quote: "The best revenge is forgetting."
Forgiveness. How does forgiveness work? In Things You Save in a Fire, Katherine Center takes us into the life of Cassie Hanwell, as she tries to figure out how to answer that question. Cassie isn't your average woman. Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter. She is one of the guys. They are no match for her. She can hold her own and theirs too. She can match them step for step and even surpass them in many things. Cassie is settled into her scheduled life. She loves her job and is quite comfortable with her crew.
However, little does she know, her comfortable life is about to become anything but comfortable.
One event and one phone call changes everything. Cassie gets a call from her mother, Diana. Diana needs Cassie to come live with her for a while and take care of some things for her. Diana left Cassie and her dad, Ted when Cassie was sixteen years old. The thought of helping her mother do anything, is far fetched in Cassie's mind. The thought of forgiveness and ever loving again were both ruined for Cassie, on the day Diana chose to leave her family behind.
Katherine Center shows us a heart that has been hardened by pain caused by the people closest to Cassie. Through the life of Cassie Hanwell, we see the struggle of trying to forgive those people.
Will the new life Cassie has to start cause her to have a change of heart?
Will a boy who crushed her when she was sixteen keep her from allowing a man to lift her up?
Will Cassie learn to forgive the people who have hurt her, or will she continue to have a shell around her heart?
How will she respond when something tragic happens and she must make a choice?
If you enjoy books about life, love, tragedy, strong women, and complicated relationships, then Things You Save in a Fire is a book I would definitely recommend you pick up.
Friday, July 12, 2019
Title: A Nearly Normal Family
Author: M.T. Edvardsson
Translated by: Rachel Willson-Broyles
Published: June 25, 2019
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Page count: 400 pages
My rating: 4 out of 5
Quote: "If chaos was what he was expecting, then chaos he would get."
In his debut novel, A Nearly Normal Family, M.T. Edvardsson takes us into the lives of the Sandell family. Stella, daughter of Adam and Ulrika Sandell, is in jail for the murder of Christopher Olsen. Is Stella a murderer, or is all of this just a misunderstanding? Edvardsson does a great job showing multiple points of view.
The book starts off with Adam's point of view. Adam Sandell is a pastor and has a reputation to uphold. However, what lengths will he go to, when his gut tells him there is more to Stella's arrest than what he's being told? Will he lie to try to save his daughter, or will his oath be nothing but the truth?
Next, we take a look at Stella's point of view. Stella's point of view comes from a small jail cell. Stella and her best friend, Amina spend all of their spare time together. Stella does not have the best relationship with her dad. She thinks he is overprotective and always in her business. One night, Stella and Amina go to a bar, where they meet the charming Christopher Olsen. Both girls find him attractive, but it is Stella who ends up going home with him and starts spending time with him. Stella gets a surprise visit from one of Chris' ex-girlfriends. Chris has told Stella about Linda, and has classified her as obsessed with him. Is Linda really obsessed or is their truth in what Linda tells Stella?
Finally, we see the point of view from Ulrika, Stella's mom. Ulrika's point of view mainly takes place from inside the courtroom. Ulrika is a lawyer, and so she knows the ins and outs of the legal system. She knows Stella's lawyer very well, and she is trusting him to make sure her daughter does not spend the rest of her life in jail. How will Ulrika help make sure there is not enough evidence to convict her daughter?
Truth. What is truth? Lie. What is a lie? In A Nearly Normal Family, Edvardsson makes us question both. What would you do to keep your loved one safe? Would you chance having your reputation ruined? Would you chance losing your job?
If you like drama, this book is for you. If you like trying to figure out who done it, this book is for you. Packed into this 400 page book, you have murder, lies, friendship, betrayal, and parents who will protect their child, no matter what it costs them.
Trigger warning: rape
Author: M.T. Edvardsson
Translated by: Rachel Willson-Broyles
Published: June 25, 2019
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Page count: 400 pages
My rating: 4 out of 5
Quote: "If chaos was what he was expecting, then chaos he would get."
In his debut novel, A Nearly Normal Family, M.T. Edvardsson takes us into the lives of the Sandell family. Stella, daughter of Adam and Ulrika Sandell, is in jail for the murder of Christopher Olsen. Is Stella a murderer, or is all of this just a misunderstanding? Edvardsson does a great job showing multiple points of view.
The book starts off with Adam's point of view. Adam Sandell is a pastor and has a reputation to uphold. However, what lengths will he go to, when his gut tells him there is more to Stella's arrest than what he's being told? Will he lie to try to save his daughter, or will his oath be nothing but the truth?
Next, we take a look at Stella's point of view. Stella's point of view comes from a small jail cell. Stella and her best friend, Amina spend all of their spare time together. Stella does not have the best relationship with her dad. She thinks he is overprotective and always in her business. One night, Stella and Amina go to a bar, where they meet the charming Christopher Olsen. Both girls find him attractive, but it is Stella who ends up going home with him and starts spending time with him. Stella gets a surprise visit from one of Chris' ex-girlfriends. Chris has told Stella about Linda, and has classified her as obsessed with him. Is Linda really obsessed or is their truth in what Linda tells Stella?
Finally, we see the point of view from Ulrika, Stella's mom. Ulrika's point of view mainly takes place from inside the courtroom. Ulrika is a lawyer, and so she knows the ins and outs of the legal system. She knows Stella's lawyer very well, and she is trusting him to make sure her daughter does not spend the rest of her life in jail. How will Ulrika help make sure there is not enough evidence to convict her daughter?
Truth. What is truth? Lie. What is a lie? In A Nearly Normal Family, Edvardsson makes us question both. What would you do to keep your loved one safe? Would you chance having your reputation ruined? Would you chance losing your job?
If you like drama, this book is for you. If you like trying to figure out who done it, this book is for you. Packed into this 400 page book, you have murder, lies, friendship, betrayal, and parents who will protect their child, no matter what it costs them.
Trigger warning: rape
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