A Song Of Joy by Lauraine Snelling

"In His time, God will make it clear to you. Thank Him in advance for His answers.”
1911 What a joy to be back in Blackduck, Minnesota, with these special people again. We say this was a simpler time, but there was so much work in day to day things. Like using the telephone. We all have one on us these days. Back then, not all houses had one. You had to go into town to use one. People communicated by mail. Now I bet some do not even know what its like to receive a letter. Written in cursive.
A family of Norwegian immigrants, in a town made up of mostly that nationality. There is the farm where this family resides and grows, and they bring over family from Norway a little at a time. Hardworking, skilled people. And a wealthy widow in a nearby town who took in one of the girls to train and groom her as an assistant. I love how Lauraine brings in people from different generations, you learn about them, their likes and skills. It's fun to see potential and watch the young kids grow. Enriching to read. This is a year in the life of the lovely immigrant girl, Nilda, from Norway and how she settles in and learns from this wonderful woman, who has much to offer in loving kindness as well as money and prestige. This level of society and family money are not without responsibility or family struggle for control. Nilda is still shaking off the death of the man who harmed her in the previous book. God has a plan for her, which unfolds gracefully through the pages. A book that makes you feel warm all over inside - as Lauraine is so skilled at doing.

Quote
“You all work hard.” “That’s what it takes to survive out here. And we want to do more than survive.”

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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The Orphan Daughter by Sheila Riley

"Using the only weapon in her armory, she attacked with her tongue as a form of defense."
1947 England. An agonizing story of a family and their neighbors in post war poverty, fighting to live in the ruins and through rationing. Evie is trying her best to better herself, earn a higher wage and bring her brother and sister home from Ireland where they had been evacuated to a relatives house. Her mother was pretty rough around the edges and took up with questionable men after her father had been killed in the War. There's an undercurrent of crime in the area loosely tied to the black market. Every one of the people in this community are tough, survivors. There are some interesting twists and mysteries, and you can't help but want the best for these people. Lots of depth and a storyline that keeps you involved to the last page, wondering about a sequel. 

Quotes

"The war years had given them a determination to get on with life, tomorrow could take care of itself."

"Optimism. Anticipation. Love. And most of all that inner strength that made anything, and everything, seem possible."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea

Iceland 1686. It makes me wonder why people stay, try to live on in a place that is so formidable. Where people starve or die from such cold.  I found this to be a very bleak story. Since it was so well written, I pushed on, looking for hope within the story for these characters, but it's slim. People survive, life continues. At this time and in this area people know Christianity but still have legends, old ways, in their makeup. In a small town there is much gossip, a way of passing time, and these people are very suspicious of others. Unsure of their own safety. I thought the cover of this book was stunning.

Quotes
A woman made of glass and stillness: perfect but easily shattered.

And yet when a stone is caught in a rushing river, what choice does it have but to move?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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A Love Restored

What an easy read. The pages just fly by as you spend time getting to know Ruth Ann. She's a lovely girl, inside and out. People judge others by the way that they look, and can be mean when someone doesn't come up to whatever standards they've set. But many times when they are, it's based on something in themselves that is lacking. Adversity builds strength in those who are abused. Verbal abuse is every bit as bad as physical abuse.
Ruth Ann is from a wealthy family and gives herself to others. It's after the war, she has a soft spot for educating black people. Others in her society and in the community don't like it. Excellent read!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Her quiet confidence and inner strength resulted from a deep abiding faith in God that made him a better man just by being with her."

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Hearts of Oak by Berryl Kingston

“No point meeting trouble half way. If ’tis coming, ’tis coming, and we’ll face it when we must."

What an unusual story, and one of the best kind that brings history to life. It would be an interesting but dry one if not for getting to know these characters and their own story. It's early 1800 in England and Lord Nelson is about to go to sea to find and fight Napoleon and the French. Jen and Marianne were just married, off to a bad start on their wedding night when he went to a pub. There he was drugged and signed into service. When Marianne heard of it, she searched for him then dressed in her brother's clothes and signed up too. She hadn't taken into consideration the size of the fleet, and ended up with her own adventures, even finding two friends who were also girls disguised as boys. Never a dull moment! Their story takes you all through the years and final battle where they won the war and lost Lord Nelson. I never would have thought to tell the story this way. It makes it easy to absorb the history lesson and easily picture it all. Excellent read. There is some brief, mild sexuality that I didn't feel was necessary. Beautiful cover!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NetGalley and the Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Christmas at Whitefriars: A Novella by Elizabeth Camden

Completely engaging. This is a companion book A Dangerous Legacy. It's not necessary to read the other book, but it's great to recognize those friends in this book too. 1912 England. Mary lives at the family's old castle, and was tasked with the job of renovating it. A huge undertaking. She's in England, her brother and their investor are in America, so she's doing everything alone. Everett is an American, of a manufacturing family company that bought the castle for the image it lent to their food products. Products that interestingly enough were developed by Everett, who loves creating recipes as much as he loves business, and he is good at both. He was at first not understanding of Mary's position of how the castle was being run. The castle is dear to her heart. It's dear to Everett because of the fortune he's invested in it. It makes for a really really good story, and is hard to put down. Christian Historical

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

Nothing short of what you'd expect from Sherlock Holmes, or maybe something more - since this Sherlock is a woman, pretending to be her brother Sherlock. Deductive reasoning at its best, with ribbons of facts and characters woven along. Anyone versed with Sherlock Holmes stories is frozen with fear at the name of Moriarty, and that person is in this story as well. Deep plot with both the story and regular characters. It would be good to see this in a movie. Charlotte and her crew go under cover at a French mansion to pull off an impossible theft. A mansion complete with secret underground passages. Scary stuff!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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