Category: Reviews

This week I recruited a “guest” reviewer. My daughter Angela has loved reading Mel Starr’s Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton. So, when the most recent addition to the series came up for review, she asked for the chance to read and review it! Here’s what she has to say:

Deeds of Darkness is the tenth book in Mel Starr’s Chronicles of Hugh de Singleton.  Hugh de Singleton, a surgeon and bailiff, must weave through a series of seemingly unconnected murders to discover the truth behind them. A man named Hubert Shillside, has gone missing, and Hugh finds himself in the midst of strife and deceit in his attempt to find his friend. While searching for any signs of Hubert, a body is found in a forest. Several robberies occur around the same time, including a robbery of Hugh’s father-in-law’s shop. The identity of the criminals is hidden, with the only clues being a wisp of green wool, men in scholar robes, and a stained book. As feuding townsfolk and a murdered heir find their way into the tangle of mysteries, Hugh must locate the end of the trail and bring the criminals to justice.

I found this book an excellent read.  The plot is absorbing and holds together well, while the twists and turns keep the readers anticipating until the very end. The mystery was enthralling to watch unfold. Starr introduces new characters and develops old ones well. Deeds of Darkness continues the series well, while still standing on its own plot. This book also upholds Starr’s excellent writing abilities and historical knowledge fantastically.

This book was sent to me by Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

Years ago, I became a fan of Tricia Goyer when I read her book Blue Like Play Dough. Then I got my hands on From Dust and Ashes, and I was completely hooked. Years later, I am honored to call Tricia a friend, but that doesn’t make me any less of a fan. I have had the privilege of seeing glimpses of her living out – in real life – what I once only read about in her books.

Walk It Out is a bit of that glimpse for Tricia’s readers. In every other book she writes, readers see this beautiful woman’s heart. But, in Walk it Out, Tricia gives a glimpse of the challenges, responses, and real-life growth behind the stories and non-fiction that have touched the lives of so many.

Tricia Goyer’s life today differs greatly from the dreams she held as a child. The girl who once dreamed of being a classroom teacher has homeschooled her three oldest through graduation and continues to homeschool her remaining seven children. The teen tortured teen who walked in hidden shame over her decision to abort her first child now openly shares her story to aid in the healing of other women. The task-oriented perfectionist has learned that the rewards of relationships rise above the rewards of a spotless house. Walk It Out shares the story of how Tricia learned these lessons and many more.

Two themes actively reveal themselves in Walk It Out. First, Tricia stresses the importance of growth through a relationship with Christ, obtained only through prayer and time in the Word of God. Secondly, lessons cannot truly be learned unless they are followed up with action. Each chapter in Walk It Out clearly shows Scripture and action that accompanied every step of growth God has walked her through.

But, I also see a third theme: community. In every chapter, Tricia’s story shows how integral the family of Christ has been in her growth. Fellow believers loved on her when she felt unlovable, received her story when she expected rejection, and surrounded her to walk alongside her when she stepped forward in actions of obedience. The community of faith is critical, and that shines through every single page of Walk It Out.

Walk It Out is, without a doubt, my new favorite of Tricia Goyer’s non-fiction, and I look forward to sharing it with others for years to come.

It never ceases to surprise me how beauty and tragedy can not only dwell side by side, but can be so intertwined that the full beauty could not exist without the tragedy. Today I get to review a book that powerfully depicts such an intertwining.

Liar’s Winter by Cindy K. Sproles is the story of a young woman who has known nothing but shame her entire life. For the superstition-ridden mountain folk among whom she lives, any little anomaly is the sign of evil, and Lochiel Ogle is living proof of that harsh reality. Born with a red-wine birthmark on one side of her face and neck, Lochiel has been raised with the understanding that the mark brands her as the Devil’s own daughter. Time and again she is reminded that her birth mother discarded her in fear and she would not be alive at all were it not for the kindness of the Ogles who have hidden her away and protected her from the prying eyes of the mountain folk.

But when Lochiel’s brother attacks her and leaves her for dead, the hands of a stranger bring rescue and an introduction to the world beyond the Ogle’s yard. Even more than that, her rescuer possesses a kindness – a real love – that plants seeds of doubt in her mind. Did the man she called Poppy and the woman she called Momma ever truly love her? Or had their raising been something else entirely?

I honestly did not know what to expect when I picked up this novel. The description intrigued me, but I anticipated that I would read it, review it, then stick it on my shelf and forget about it. The opposite occurred. Liar’s Winter captivated me from page one. I felt drawn into Lochiel’s very soul as I watched events unfold from her perspective. Superstition, abuse, fear, and stubbornness collided with love and faith as Lochiel slowly discovered the truth about her nineteen years of life and the people she called family. Each page made me want to turn another, and even in the memory I’m drawn back into the powerful story Cindy K. Sproles weaves through every scene. This is a book I want to read and reread, share with friends and my children, discuss, and explore.

Liar’s Winter is not an easy book to read, by any means, especially knowing that these mentalities and this sort of abuse ran rampant throughout history and continue even into our day and age. This is the real reason I want my children to read it, as they reach an appropriate age. They need to know what this world hands out, and they need to see how they can either be rescuers or bring additional harm. Most of all, though, the can see that the powerful love of God shines beautifully even through the darkest of circumstances.

This is my first experience with Cindy K. Sproles, but it will not be my last, and I will definitely not hesitate to recommend Liar’s Winter.

I received this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes I slip up and agree to review book two in a series. With A Note Yet Unsung, I managed to pick a book that stood on its own, despite references to the previous book in the series. This time, though, was a different story.

The book is Too Deep for Words by Andrea Boeshaar, and it is the second installment in the Shenandoah Valley Saga. As I began to read, I picked up hints very quickly that the back story being referenced was not just flashbacks or gap filling. It was references to a fleshed out story – one entitled A Thousand Shall Fall. Allow me to start my review of Too Deep for Words by encouraging you to go ahead and read A Thousand Shall Fall. No, I have not read it yet. But, if book two is any indication of the flow of the series, I can assure you that book one will be good, too!

Set in the Civil War, the Shenandoah Valley Saga series delves into both sides of the conflict. Readers get to know Union and Confederate characters, with a mixture of good and bad character on both sides of the line. In fact, the balance is one thing that drew me into this story. Andrea Boeshaar beautifully handles delving into the strong convictions held by good, godly men from both the North and the South. In Too Deep for Words, newly married Carrie Ann Collier is devastated to learn that her husband, US Colonel Peyton Collier, is missing and presumed dead. But Carrie refuses to believe the latter, and she will not rest until either he returns safely or she receives conclusive evidence of his death. Whether strong or wavering, this hope stands as the driving force behind her interactions, her choices, and her actions throughout the novel.

Too Deep for Words is well researched, intertwining historic characters and events with the fictional Colliers, Carrie’s sister Margaret, and their companions. Interspersed throughout the novel are news clips and journal entries tying war events into the flow of the story. And, the story truly flows. Little surprise events throughout the story keep it from falling into predictable patterns, and there are enough little loose threads to draw readers back for an upcoming book three in the series.

One thing I noticed in reading Too Deep for Words, though, was my lack of connection with the characters. I am typically drawn to a book by the characters more than the plot, and if I don’t connect with the characters, I don’t usually enjoy the book. This time, though, the plot held its own quite strongly. I do wonder if that will change after I read the first book, because frequently book two in a series rests on the solid character development of its prequel. The fact that I enjoyed Too Deep for Words enough to go back and read A Thousand Shall Fall to hopefully build that connection with the characters definitely speaks volumes for Andrea Boeshaar’s storytelling ability.

Bottom line: I would recommend the Shenandoah Valley Saga series. Just don’t make the mistake I did and start in the middle!

This book was sent to me by Kregel in exchange for my honest review.