tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69794538127060209352024-03-17T23:02:01.898-04:00THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK BLOG
I will introduce readers to authors, through Giveaways and interviews. I'm always looking for books that work great as a book club pick.
Tell your friends about the interviews and giveaways here.
We are still finding HOPE - I know HOPE is a Person, and his name is Jesus.The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.comBlogger3318125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-47263915059594067652024-03-15T16:45:00.001-04:002024-03-15T16:45:17.570-04:00A LADY'S GUIDE TO MARVELS AND MISADVENTURE BY ANGELA BELL - REVIEWED<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1De-u0X2U-87nAe5GfUHTtpn3gRW6xFmTGHB6IyQhvPVceg-GkIFRA_eeiSkNRZG94kfR_s1zPhdv9bvW1H8qd7VSDB3q1pL_EKKW8GnIOH7GXuczwQEGdFYAYnhQrF55ZbiehomvITgVWa59aDw85bdLTywfEZMWL0cQm4icLD8PpPmM0azoDBAlY0E/s2000/A%20Lady's%20Guide%20to%20Marvels%20and%20Misadventure%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1295" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1De-u0X2U-87nAe5GfUHTtpn3gRW6xFmTGHB6IyQhvPVceg-GkIFRA_eeiSkNRZG94kfR_s1zPhdv9bvW1H8qd7VSDB3q1pL_EKKW8GnIOH7GXuczwQEGdFYAYnhQrF55ZbiehomvITgVWa59aDw85bdLTywfEZMWL0cQm4icLD8PpPmM0azoDBAlY0E/w414-h640/A%20Lady's%20Guide%20to%20Marvels%20and%20Misadventure%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 27, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">REVIEW</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">: </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Ubuntu, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I didn’t know what to think of this book from the cover
alone. I wasn’t sure what kind of misadventures I was about to embark on. In a
way, this book reminds me a little of Jen Turano, and Pepper Basham. Both
authors are witty, funny, and write about strong women and their misadventures.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was surprised by how imaginative and
enjoyable the author's scavenger hunt was. I had no idea that Clara and
Theodore would meet so many endearing and eccentric people while searching for
clues on the Drosselmeyer's trail. <span style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I enjoyed this incredible journey that often had me giggle. I liked the sweet, and uplifting romance in this charming Victorian steampunk type story.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #252525; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you adore how this surprising team
approaches this extraordinary mission if you enjoy this genre, quirky
characters, and Victorian adventures. You'll enjoy this debut novel. You won't
want to put down.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A
Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">(A
whimsical Victorian Historical Romance)</span></b></div></b><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Angela Bell</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Bethany House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: February 27, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">379
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Historical Christian Fiction, Wholesome Romance,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">BACK
COVER:</span><span class="Heading1Char"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></b></span><span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be
eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span class="a-text-italic"><i><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">London, England,
1860</span></i></span><i><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span></i><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors
that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to
protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in
an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a
mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.<br />
<br />
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh
start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him
dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who
hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously
disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara,
beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a
merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to
follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead
of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a>
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-77016401884078777012024-03-15T12:25:00.001-04:002024-03-15T12:42:00.245-04:00FOR A LIFETIME by GABRIELLE MEYER REVIEWED<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGfnd3FvpTU7DGKE36KNqWiwLDOPz957VQxfuFYwjJYKefUxkdCv1Nj1WBi4vr5gzBkrTx6z1NTCBCsEYJyNJfccexkCglZTa14T3JV9oaK1GAtJO9ZkmBN8Nd_i2aDf-Na9s64ScZsbjlGi8jCmiueYStPtj_Gv2pBthxQG5IoczrfKrldSx0ZU1X3M/s466/For%20a%20LifeTime%20bc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGfnd3FvpTU7DGKE36KNqWiwLDOPz957VQxfuFYwjJYKefUxkdCv1Nj1WBi4vr5gzBkrTx6z1NTCBCsEYJyNJfccexkCglZTa14T3JV9oaK1GAtJO9ZkmBN8Nd_i2aDf-Na9s64ScZsbjlGi8jCmiueYStPtj_Gv2pBthxQG5IoczrfKrldSx0ZU1X3M/w414-h640/For%20a%20LifeTime%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE MAY 7, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="border: 1pt solid rgb(229, 231, 235); mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in;"><p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">REVIEW:</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> <span style="background: white; color: #252525;">Unlike the previous novels, this
one tells the story of identical twins who travel together through two
different eras. If you haven't read any of the series' fear not - the author
gets readers up to speed in the first few chapters. To fully understand the
complexities of this amazing journey, you'll want to read all the books.</span></span></p><p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #252525;">In the first timeline, which is set in 1962, Grace and Hope find
themselves </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #252525;">in Salem, Massachusetts, during the witch trials. As they see the
trials happening, how everyone began to feel terrified, and they worried
about who would be in jeopardy next, everything seems dismal. The twins
realized there was nothing they could do to influence how the trials turned
out. It was hard to watch things play out. However, they were looking forward
to turning twenty-five. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: rgb(237, 250, 255); color: #252525;">At that point they would have the option to
choose the eternal timeline they wished to live in.</span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">In
1912, Hope pursued her dream of becoming the first woman pilot to fly the
English Channel, while Grace worked as an investigative journalist. Everyone
has a career.1912 was an exciting time. I liked that Hope and Grace were very
different. Hope loved taking risks, and Grace liked things slow and steady. Her
heart was with a man in 1692 and Hope desired to catch the eye of Luc in 1912.</span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">I
loved learning about the history of aviation as the twins chased their dreams.
I was horrified to read about the Salem witch trials. I appreciated the author’s
notes where she explains what was true to history and where we could get more
information about real historical events.</span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">This
is a fantastic choice for your upcoming book club selection. You won’t soon
forget the twin’s incredible journey in "For a LifeTime."</span></p>
<p style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-border-alt: solid #E5E7EB .25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif">The next thrilling adventure in this series is titled,
"Across the ages," its slated for release in November, so readers
won't have to wait long to see where the twins leap to next. <span style="background: white; color: #252525;">You don't want to miss reading the
dramatic and captivating time travel trilogy series. After reading “For a
LifeTime” I’m counting the days until “Across the ages,” is released.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">For
a LifeTime (Timeless Series Bk3 )</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">Inspirational Historical Time-Travel Romance</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">By
Gabrielle Meyer</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
By: Bethany House Publishers</span></div></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date May 7, 2024</span></div></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">400 Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Christian Fiction, Time Travel, Wholesome Romance, Historical Fictio</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">BACK
COVER: </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">Grace and Hope are
identical twin sisters born with the ability to time-cross together between
1692 Salem, Massachusetts, and 1912 New York City. As their twenty-fifth
birthday approaches, they will have to choose one life to keep and one to leave
behind forever--no matter the cost.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111;">
<span style="background: white;">In 1692, they live and work in their father's
tavern, where they must watch helplessly as the witch trials unfold in their
village, threatening everyone. With the help of a handsome childhood friend,
they search for the truth behind their mother's mysterious death, risking
everything to expose a secret that could save their lives--or be their undoing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">In 1912, Hope dreams of becoming one of the
first female pilots in America, and Grace works as an investigative journalist,
uncovering corruption and injustice. After their parents' orphanage is
threatened by an adversary, they enter a contest to complete a perilous
cross-country flight under the guidance of a daring French aviator.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The sisters have already decided which timeline
they will choose, but an unthinkable tragedy complicates the future they
planned for themselves. As their birthday looms, how will they determine the
lives--and loves--that are best for both of them? <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">T<span style="font-weight: normal;">BCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">https://</span></a><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">salm516.blogspot.com/</span></a><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">p</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-83422980980846788902024-03-06T09:23:00.003-05:002024-03-06T09:23:28.094-05:00THE BERLIN LETTERS by KATHERINE REAY - REVIEW<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdGwArpVk1_tnWNynsQcU3M_xK2GN0M6dvH4ro-xn9ca78oY0wkYEF78bpXB79kFjncUzHH5Qsopv9Gf7NFsFYIue3SD1zoe7-xegPM4gF2gcInA-mHHwzbDS_YMnuZ5MBpcuIwjjuqjg9sJdo2KOpdkFjzuQ-wq6ry-OvilOQOrqJM7zxZgIa9md8HA/s466/The%20Berlin%20Letters%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="306" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdGwArpVk1_tnWNynsQcU3M_xK2GN0M6dvH4ro-xn9ca78oY0wkYEF78bpXB79kFjncUzHH5Qsopv9Gf7NFsFYIue3SD1zoe7-xegPM4gF2gcInA-mHHwzbDS_YMnuZ5MBpcuIwjjuqjg9sJdo2KOpdkFjzuQ-wq6ry-OvilOQOrqJM7zxZgIa9md8HA/w420-h640/The%20Berlin%20Letters%20bc.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE MARCH 5, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>In
the prologue, readers are introduced to Monica Voekler, who lived in East
Berlin, Germany, on August 13, 1961. Her spouse, Lucia Voekler, is a reporter.
He knows that things are becoming heated politically, so he sets out to get the
inside news. It never occurred to him that things might get so terrible that
barbed wire walls would need to be constructed overnight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monika
Voekler felt there was trouble brewing. In an instant, she made a decision to
pull her daughter Lucia from her stroller and hurl her across the barbed wire
into her father's arms.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then she set out
to scale the barbed wire. She didn't anticipate what would happen next. It was
an event that changed her family forever.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Next,
the readers learn about CIA code-switcher Lucia Voekler, who was raised by her
grandparents. Carrie, Lucia's friend and co-worker has requested assistance in
deciphering what she calls the "Berlin letters." Carrie wants to
clear off her desk before she goes on maternity leave. While helping her
friend, Lucia spots a symbol that she recognizes. She remembers seeing them in
letters she received from her grandfather.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is an emotionally charged story that touched my heart.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I appreciated the rich detail, and depth that
made me feel as though I was there with the characters. I also like how this
narrative was told in two distinct times by two separate narrators. It made for
a comprehensive experience.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was astonished by a few of the twists and turns. I wasn't prepared for this dramatic, thrilling conclusion that brought tears to my eyes as I kept turned the pages, hoping for Lucia and her family's best outcome.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #252525;"><span style="background-color: #edfaff; white-space-collapse: preserve;">If you love stories </span></span>of war,
complete with cryptanalysts, code breakers, translators of the Berlin
letters who work together to stop enemy communication. You will cherish
this captivating novel that covers the Berlin Wall before and after it was
built. It's a gripping page turner that had my heart racing during the
story's climactic moments and resolution. I had no idea how this would
end. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The author’s website features videos from her trip
to Berlin, I found them fascinating. This is a fantastic book to choose for a
book club. If you haven’t read a novel by this author, I highly recommend you
start with this one. In my opinion it’s her best.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Berlin Letters</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Katherine Reay</span></b></div></b><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">P</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">ublished by: Harper
Muse</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date March 5, 2024</span></div><o:p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">368
Pages</span></div></o:p></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Espionage Thrillers, Historical Fiction, Romance</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">BACK
COVER: </span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Bestselling author
Katherine Reay returns with an unforgettable tale of the Cold War and a CIA
code breaker who risks everything to free her father from an East German
prison.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">From the time she
was a young girl, Luisa Voekler has loved solving puzzles and cracking codes.
Brilliant and logical, she’s expected to quickly climb the career ladder at the
CIA. But while her coworkers have moved on to thrilling Cold War assignments—especially
in the exhilarating era of the late 1980s—Luisa’s work remains stuck in the
past decoding messages from World War II.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Journalist Haris
Voekler grew up a proud East Berliner. But as his eyes open to the realities of
postwar East Germany, he realizes that the Soviet promises of a better future
are not coming to fruition. After the Berlin Wall goes up, Haris finds himself separated
from his young daughter and all alone after his wife dies. There’s only one way
to reach his family—by sending coded letters to his father-in-law who lives on
the other side of the Iron Curtain.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When Luisa Voekler
discovers a secret cache of letters written by the father she has long presumed
dead, she learns the truth about her grandfather’s work, her father’s identity,
and why she has never progressed in her career. With little more than a rudimentary
plan and hope, she journeys to Berlin and risks everything to free her father
and get him out of East Berlin alive.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">As Luisa and Haris
take turns telling their stories, events speed toward one of the twentieth
century’s most dramatic moments—the fall of the Berlin Wall and that night’s
promise of freedom, truth, and reconciliation for those who lived, for
twenty-eight years, behind the bleak shadow of the Iron Curtain’s most iconic
symbol.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: 0in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">A Cold War novel that takes readers to the heart of Berlin
to witness both the early and final days of the Berlin Wall</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-40435922238888504502024-03-03T13:34:00.001-05:002024-03-03T13:34:17.560-05:00TO SPEAK HIS NAME (THE WINGS OF THE MORNING SERIES BK1) by TARA JOHNSON<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjs7Q0jVd2VfuLM8c7WwwUyT9RyF8uvQcVIjdiqY0epu34WDaOghBfzGgCIST7dis6sWjqnQpE8ZkBamTrESvXjFsKZ7zZE515Q8esf7jVmaoS3mtXRMFNNeQGz_hl-_5ijPiHXhDY0TWcH948fwCPpvs6P3Igf2F62nraGE7e77y5SYd5CAaqj6rrfI/s466/To%20Speak%20His%20Name%20bc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjs7Q0jVd2VfuLM8c7WwwUyT9RyF8uvQcVIjdiqY0epu34WDaOghBfzGgCIST7dis6sWjqnQpE8ZkBamTrESvXjFsKZ7zZE515Q8esf7jVmaoS3mtXRMFNNeQGz_hl-_5ijPiHXhDY0TWcH948fwCPpvs6P3Igf2F62nraGE7e77y5SYd5CAaqj6rrfI/w414-h640/To%20Speak%20His%20Name%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE MARCH 4, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <b style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">REVIEW: </b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 12pt;">Stayed up late finishing
this amazing novel. I was captivated by this story and the complex characters.
I loved how the faith message flowed naturally, not preachy. I couldn’t put
this book down. I loved the twists, turns and surprises leading up to a satisfying, unexpected, nail-biting conclusion. </span><p></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 12pt;">This is Tara Johnson </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 12pt;">at
her finest. If you haven’t read this author before I highly recommend this
novel. It’s my top pick for this year. A book club must read. I’m thrilled this
book is the first in an exciting new adventure series! I can’t wait to read
book two.</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">To
Speak His Name (The Wings of the Morning Bk1)<br /></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">By:
Tara Johnson<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Story Architect<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: March 4, 2021<br /></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">376
Pages</span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">HashTag:
Christian Fiction, Historical, Wholesome Romance, Slavery</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">BACK
COVER: <span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Avalina is a woman trapped
in silence. Stolen from her home in Ireland and sold as a slave to a Barbados
plantation owner, the trauma of her past has left her mute, wrapped in a prison
of loneliness and isolation amid an island of beauty. Though she longs to be
free from the cruelty of her overseer, her heart yearns for a greater
freedom…something just beyond her grasp.</span><span style="color: #0f1111;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Josiah Holland has been born into a South
Carolina slave-holding family but all it takes is one trip to the island of
Barbados to open his eyes to the ugly cruelty that abounds beyond the confines
of his plantation. With the aid of fiery abolitionist Benjamin McGee, Josiah
forges a new future, fighting the very ideals he was once a part of.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">When Avalina and Josiah’s lives entwine, will
their spark engulf them in destruction, or ignite a revolution?</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-21901556316988894872024-03-03T13:30:00.002-05:002024-03-03T13:30:22.846-05:00THE AMERICAN QUEEN by VANESSA MILLER - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2PuhVl03_NmezZhWZdxwES4JFSjIq3QOI59ehf5AyWge8zKjy7Mr4ghgaOuv-W3LVZada_NAFomzbk9ppcrmTEWsn-Mfh3ktRyvd_rMRGnL5Ky38VNZt0oD04QCrzyxyfCClaQ_EpIqbwSO3iwTdhSNoxqTM37BqcPn8GUxj2RLkigMEsfoM__u19iw/s466/American%20Queen%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="306" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2PuhVl03_NmezZhWZdxwES4JFSjIq3QOI59ehf5AyWge8zKjy7Mr4ghgaOuv-W3LVZada_NAFomzbk9ppcrmTEWsn-Mfh3ktRyvd_rMRGnL5Ky38VNZt0oD04QCrzyxyfCClaQ_EpIqbwSO3iwTdhSNoxqTM37BqcPn8GUxj2RLkigMEsfoM__u19iw/w420-h640/American%20Queen%20bc.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 30, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><b>REVIEW: </b>What an amazing, tragic, nonetheless inspirational
story of Louella, who was taken from her family as a young child and brought to
work on the Montgomery Plantation. Louellia's heart was always racing to get
away. However, William Louellia’s husband, desired to be obedient to his master.
But when Abraham Lincoln emancipated the slaves, it was a game changer for
everyone. Their master’s didn’t have to feed or clothe them anymore. All they had
was promised wages for working the land. They were frequently unpaid by the
master’s for months at a time. Where could they live? Their situation was worse
now that they were free. It didn’t seem right.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Revolution
struck. Slaves escaped the plantations. They needed to find a place where they could
call home, support their families and live free. Then they came to North
Carolina their promised land. It was hard work to build what they refer to as
Happy Land. (which was based on a real place),<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
story reminded me of when Pharaoh released the Israelites, then went after them
to bring them back. I was engrossed in this compelling story as I read about
their struggles and achievements, in Happy Land. It’s truly a gripping, page-turner.
The author's debut historical fiction. It’s a must-read. I hope the author
continues to write historical novels. If you haven’t read a book by this
author, I highly recommend this one. It would be a wonderful pick for your book
club. There is so much to discuss.</span></p>
<h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
American Queen</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Vanessa Miller</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Thomas Nelson</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: January 30, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">368
Pages</span></div></span></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">HashTag#
Black & African American Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Slavery<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">BACK COVER: </span><span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">There is only one known
queen who truly ruled a kingdom on American soil.</span></b></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">Transformative and breathtakingly honest, <i>The American
Queen</i> is based on actual events that occurred between 1865 - 1889 and
shares the unsung history of a Black woman who built a kingdom as a refuge for
the courageous people who dared to dream of a different way of life. As seen on
Good Morning America: GMA 15 New Books to Read!</span></b></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Over
the twenty-four years she was enslaved on the Montgomery Plantation, Louella
learned to feel one thing: hate. Hate for the man who sold her mother. Hate for
the overseer who left her daddy to hang from a noose. Hate so powerful there's
no room in her heart for love, not even for the honorable Reverend William,
whom she likes and respects enough to marry.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">But
when William finally listens to Louella's pleas and leads the formerly enslaved
people off the plantation, Louella begins to replace her hate with hope. Hope
that they will find a place where they can live free from fear. Hope that
despite her many unanswered prayers, she can learn to trust for new miracles.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Soon,
William and Louella become the appointed king and queen of their
self-proclaimed Kingdom of the Happy Land. And though they are still surrounded
by opposition, they continue to share a message of joy and goodness--and fight
for the freedom and dignity of all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="a-text-italic"><i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;">The American Queen</span></i></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;"> weaves together
themes of love, hate, hope, trust, and resilience in the face of great turmoil.
With every turn of the page, you will be transported to a pivotal period in
American history, where oppressed people become extraordinary heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-55688560841621097932024-02-15T12:55:00.004-05:002024-02-15T12:55:46.187-05:00Q & A LYNN AUSTIN - NEW RELEASE - ALL MY SECRETS<p> </p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Q
& A with Lynn Austin Author of All My Secrets</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8cDwD8I707d1isxCWQF9vL5fecrzSkLcPbQeBb2mjtYlBMgCwcrk2hMCA568SmyGz2nDtSuH08CbSra0MvztU5WgDyD-biVC1PX7Fjb17XtEUgrqneDQhSncK1mLV4STONRNV4wCUtUP1WOKEodaVYUZic8scXvu33jhUXAsUrhEnyOx-9wW-CWGjX4/s768/lynn-austin-about%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="768" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8cDwD8I707d1isxCWQF9vL5fecrzSkLcPbQeBb2mjtYlBMgCwcrk2hMCA568SmyGz2nDtSuH08CbSra0MvztU5WgDyD-biVC1PX7Fjb17XtEUgrqneDQhSncK1mLV4STONRNV4wCUtUP1WOKEodaVYUZic8scXvu33jhUXAsUrhEnyOx-9wW-CWGjX4/w200-h143/lynn-austin-about%202024.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><b><br />Lynn Austin</b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> is the bestselling
author of nearly thirty novels and was one of the first inductees into the
Christy Award Hall of Fame. Her novel Hidden Places was made into a Hallmark
Channel movie starring actress Shirley Jones. She and her husband have three
grown children and make their home in western Michigan. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">1. What inspired this story set in the Gilded
Age?</span></p><p class="MsoListParagraph"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I was
initially drawn to the Gilded Age because of the excesses of the era—the
enormous, overly decorated mansions, the lavish lifestyles of the rich, the
ragss-to-riches stories of the Gilded Age tycoons. I wanted to explore what
might happen if these fortunes were lost, or if my characters began to
acknowledge the emptiness of a life lived only for pleasure. People today often
envy the rich and famous, so I wanted to take a peek behind the scenes of a
time period that is similar to ours in many ways, and explore some of the
values that shaped it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">2. How did you go about researching that era? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I began by researching the
lives of famous Gilded Age tycoons, such as Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jacob
Astor. Many of these self-made millionaires started out poor and created their
empires through cutthroat business practices. The legacies their families
inherited weren’t always enviable. But I learned that while men clearly
dominated this era, more and more women were longing to make their voices
heard. So my research then led me to the suffrage movement, and the developing
social conscience of its followers. The Gilded Age was also an era of mass
migration to America, so the plight of immigrants and the huge disparity
between rich and poor became another avenue of my research. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">3. How does faith play a role in this story? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Faith plays a role in several
ways. Some of the characters discover that their past mistakes can be forgiven
through faith in Christ. This renewed faith provides them with a fresh start,
even if they still must face the consequences of their mistakes. Other
characters grow in faith throughout the story because of what they experience
and learn to make better decisions by trusting God’s plan for their lives. And
faith causes some of the characters to question the misplaced values that have
shaped their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">4. What do you hope readers will learn from Addy’s journey?
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> In <i>All My Secrets,</i>
Addy is being given conflicting advice. Her grandmother’s wisdom, her mother’s
financial needs, society’s pressures, and her own growing social conscience are
all pulling her in different directions. These influences are easy to see in a novel
but aren’t so obvious in our everyday lives. I hope readers can gain insight
into what might be influencing their own decisions and learn to discern God’s
plan for their lives as they read Addy’s story. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">5. What do you find interesting about multigenerational
relationships such as the ones in this story? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> It intrigues me that the
challenges the generations before us faced and the choices they made have
influenced our lives whether we realize it or not. Each generation thinks the
conflicts they face are unique, when in reality, “What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun”
(Ecclesiastes 1:9). We can learn from our families’ stories and gain valuable
insight into our own lives when we take the time to explore our family’s past
and build multigenerational relationships. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">6. What do you find to be the most challenging part of the
writing process?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> What advice would you offer
young writers? Researching within a vast sea of information (without pursuing
endless rabbit trails) is challenging, but I enjoy that process. Creating
complex characters and a fresh plot that hasn’t been overused is also challenging,
especially after writing nearly 30 books. After all these years, I’ve learned
about the daily discipline that’s required in order to write a book— and write
it well—and still meet the publisher’s deadline, but it’s still one of my
biggest challenges. I would advise young writers to learn to set priorities in
their life and writing, and allocate their time accordingly, aware of the
endless distractions that will try to divert them from God’s call to write. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">7. Which books and authors have shaped you most as a
writer? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> The Jewish author Chaim Potok
first influenced me to write novels that incorporate faith in God into the
story in a natural way. In novels such as The Chosen, Potok takes readers into
the life of Orthodox Jews—not to convert us to his faith, but to show it in
action in everyday life. He inspired me to try to do the same with a Christian
worldview. I was also influenced by authors Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher,
whose rich characters and complex storylines are still memorable years after
I’ve read them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">8. Do you have any other writing projects in the pipeline? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN: I’ve just finished writing a Christmas novella which
continues the stories of the characters from All My Secrets. It will be
released in late fall 2024, in time for the Christmas season. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9. How do you hope this story will resonate with your
readers? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">LYNN:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I always hope that readers
will be able to draw parallels between my stories and their own lives and
perhaps think about their own choices in a fresh way. I see many similarities
between <i>All My Secrets</i> and our current era—in the fascination with the
rich and famous, in the obsession with money, and in the divisions between rich
and poor, to name just a few. I hope my characters’ lives and dilemmas will
resonate as true for every era, and as the novel’s characters begin to ask what
God’s plan for their lives might be, that readers will be inspired to do the
same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Given permission to post this interview by Isabella
Graunke/Tyndale Publishing <o:p></o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-41041135753504162812024-02-15T11:14:00.003-05:002024-02-15T11:14:54.116-05:00ALL MY SECRETS by LYNN AUSTIN REVIEW<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wnEx4gXKJM6KqFY_6qxUWGcQ7FXNdo1P3Dyva2qALizxSnv6hl2lBh4s_rls48FR4MrfsG4S6uK165CCz5Wj4lfcJLIbLo9jBMasj1c7J-LN2qZj1EKzq2BJrbWr7W9Tn2-wmtLdOxkcqH5jPY2TBcl9Py34MCQWZiNCobwHsIMqWg9G9_DTttr4ixA/s466/All%20my%20secrets%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9wnEx4gXKJM6KqFY_6qxUWGcQ7FXNdo1P3Dyva2qALizxSnv6hl2lBh4s_rls48FR4MrfsG4S6uK165CCz5Wj4lfcJLIbLo9jBMasj1c7J-LN2qZj1EKzq2BJrbWr7W9Tn2-wmtLdOxkcqH5jPY2TBcl9Py34MCQWZiNCobwHsIMqWg9G9_DTttr4ixA/w428-h640/All%20my%20secrets%20bc.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 6, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b></p><p><b>REVIEW: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
author's choice to narrate this story from the viewpoints of three generations
of women in the hopes that the stories will inspire readers of all ages amazed
me. It also made the story more intimate and captivating. The youngest
character, Addy, is often getting caught up in what other people think of her
and taken in by the societal norms that tell her what she should be and do.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Adelaide's
mother Sylvia is another lady going through unpleasant changes following her
husband's untimely death. She is in grief and coming to terms with the fact
that her daughter will soon get married and leave her all by herself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
the other hand, Junietta truly believes God, can use us at any age. This story
explores the idea of God's forgiveness while exposing the negative consequences
of resentment and bitterness. As the secrets these ladies have been keeping
come to light, amazing things happen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Readers
are given a close-up and intimate look at how these three incredible women
struggle to survive when it seems impossible for them to do so. Oh my, this was
such a heartfelt story with incredible attention to detail. Junietta sees an
opportunity to help Addy venture beyond the confines of her childhood home. Junietta
tells Addy, “It’s your life, not your mother’s. Do you have the courage it
takes to break free from the mold that society will try to cast for you? You
don’t have to do things their way, you know…As we start all over again, we’ll
have a chance to make a new life for ourselves and decide how we want to live
from now on. Change can be difficult, but it can also be very good for us.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
admired how each of the three ladies looked within to determine what matters
most in life. Will they play the role that society has urged them to play, or
will they look for a greater good and try to change the world? They could
reduce their belongings and intentional about decisions that will impact not
just their own life but also the lives of numerous generations to come.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is a powerful, thought-provoking story. I like how the author skillfully
included biblical verses into the story, allowing these complex characters to
go inward and gain fresh insights on their surroundings and a deeper
understanding of themselves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">If
you haven’t read a book by this author, I recommend this one. This would work
for a book club pick too. There is much to discuss.</span></p><h2><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">All My Secrets By Lynn Austin</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published by Tyndale Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release Date: February 6, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">400 Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag# Christian Historical Fiction, Family Drama, Gilded Age</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">BACK COVER: </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">New York, 1898.</span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> The only thing more shocking than Arthur Stanhope III’s unexpected death is the revelation that his will bestows his company―and most of the vast fortune that goes with it―to the nearest male heir, leaving his mother, wife, and daughter nearly impoverished. His widow, Sylvia, quickly realizes she must set aside her grief to ensure their daughter, Adelaide, is launched into society as soon as the appropriate mourning period passes. If Sylvia can find a wealthy husband for Addy before anyone realizes they’re practically destitute, there will be little disruption to the lifestyle they’re accustomed to.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Sylvia’s mother-in-law, Junietta, believes their life could use a little disruption. She has watched Sylvia play her role as a society wife, as Junietta once did, despite what it cost them both. Junietta vows to give her granddaughter the power to choose a path beyond what society expects.<br /><br />But for Addy to have that chance, both mother and grandmother must first confront painful truths about their own choices. Only in bringing their secrets to light can they hope to reshape their family inheritance into a legacy more fulfilling than they ever dared dream.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-1900957128361661152024-02-11T11:52:00.004-05:002024-02-11T11:52:58.813-05:00THE ARK AND THE DOVE by JILL EILEEN SMITH - REVIEW<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOVk9NF60jKvLpHn8PKN4hNJkCZh6EnEbWgVtMXhV6wefLOjo46setmyvr7G6NjS_sCPYu8C34WQ-_oRN-ijmeLDFxaIHF-33WgEjd0zp9LDgeI76AXs99Y-bJlg60Ort39sujFwLbG40X3O-AdlZjAKHG0VlFXOaNsOlrhw5RkpZXZ3USLw6aB92NHs/s466/The%20Ark%20and%20the%20Dove%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZOVk9NF60jKvLpHn8PKN4hNJkCZh6EnEbWgVtMXhV6wefLOjo46setmyvr7G6NjS_sCPYu8C34WQ-_oRN-ijmeLDFxaIHF-33WgEjd0zp9LDgeI76AXs99Y-bJlg60Ort39sujFwLbG40X3O-AdlZjAKHG0VlFXOaNsOlrhw5RkpZXZ3USLw6aB92NHs/w414-h640/The%20Ark%20and%20the%20Dove%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 27, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><b style="font-size: 12pt;">REVIEW:</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I had no idea how much
labor and material would be needed to rebuild their way of life after the
floods.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Frankly, I was astonished at
how much work awaited Noah and his family after their unimaginable adventure of
forty days and forty nights on the ark. With so few people, there was a lot of
work to be done. Then there was everything they experienced while traveling on
the ark with hundreds of animals. It was amazing to learn about the
enormous effort of providing for, feeding, and maintaining the health and happiness
of these creatures.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I like how the author
describes the emotions that Noah's family could have had as they went about
their regular chores, building the ark, looking after one another and then the
animals both before and after the flood. The author states that as she was
conducting research, she went to the reconstructed ark in Kentucky. She said
it's enormous, but no one could truly understand what transpired during and
after Noah's 40 days and 40 nights adventure, as well as the year they
spent on the ark following the flood,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
prepared for their city and way of life to be reconstructed following the
flood. It was astounding to realize how little help would be available for what
was required in rebuilding. This story compelled me to go back and read
everything there was about Noah and his family in the bible. This
detailed description of Noah, his household, and his dedication to the Creator
was eye opening. Reading this narrative gave me a fresh
perspective. You will gain a new insight into Noah's family, their
hardships, and their hopes. You should check it out. It's an outstanding pick
for a book club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Ark and the Dove</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Jill Eileen Smith</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Revell</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date February 27, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">336
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">HashTag# Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction,
Historical, Wholesome Romance</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>BACK
COVER: </b></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Zara and Noah have walked together with the Creator for their
entire lives, and they have done their best in an increasingly wicked and
defiant world to raise their three sons to follow in their footsteps. It has
been a challenge--and it's about to get much, much harder.<br />
<br />
When the Creator tells her husband to build an ark to escape the coming wrath
against the sins of humankind, Zara steps out with him in faith. But the
derision and sabotage directed their way from both friends and extended family
are difficult to bear, as is knowing that everyone she interacts with beyond
her husband, her sons, and their wives is doomed to destruction. And when the
ark is finally finished and the animals have been shut up inside, Zara and her
family embark on an adventure that will test their patience and their faith as
they await deliverance and dry ground.<br />
<br />
Experience the story of Noah and the flood like you never have before. With
bestselling and award-winning author Jill Eileen Smith as your guide, you'll
never look at a rainbow the same way again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog <a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</a></span></h2>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-72612491990594784662024-02-09T17:38:00.000-05:002024-02-09T17:38:09.174-05:00DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION by ROBIN W. PEARSON - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNkM9gLnzqWPERs81kQkR6zNZcZR8wQPMJjj6oNQ_qipPKBcmfCnYcAeZ_vQgWPViq2ApDwVBqGmLOCuMTOmjsVRvWVJiegrM5Ln7XwzBUFdt68q8yynuAdiGjAdZt86yjhmnjMntg3H4Ty7LHgR31H340Yh6qpcpD_W85_6Ae2e0QmNDuj5vCywm-nM/s445/Dysfunction%20Junction%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNkM9gLnzqWPERs81kQkR6zNZcZR8wQPMJjj6oNQ_qipPKBcmfCnYcAeZ_vQgWPViq2ApDwVBqGmLOCuMTOmjsVRvWVJiegrM5Ln7XwzBUFdt68q8yynuAdiGjAdZt86yjhmnjMntg3H4Ty7LHgR31H340Yh6qpcpD_W85_6Ae2e0QmNDuj5vCywm-nM/w426-h640/Dysfunction%20Junction%20bc.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 6, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>The
three girls—Annabelle, Frankie, and Charlotte—get a call out of the blue that has them spinning. They
are being called home. They have to face a lifetime of memories they have tried
to forget. Memories of their mother’s rejection. Their attempts to hide their
pain must be dealt with. The girls soon learn they can only find their way to
healing by dealing with the past. They had to be there for each other one more time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Through
her narration, I liked the depth the author brought to the story by the use of current day surroundings, and childhood flashbacks, make the reader feel as though they
are there </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">as these young women, learn
that who they were in the past doesn't define who they are now.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
is a powerful, healing, heart-felt story I could not put down. Parts of this
story hit my heartstrings. It’s a story we all can learn from. If you haven’t
read any of this author ‘s novels I highly recommend this one. It’s one you
won’t soon forget.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dysfunction
Junction</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Robin W. Pearson</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Tyndale House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: February 6, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">331
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">HashTag#
Sibling Fiction, Southern Fiction, Family Drama, Contemporary Christian
Fiction, Family Saga</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">BACK
COVER: </span><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When three women receive an unexpected
phone call that leaves them reeling, they have no other choice but to reckon
with a lifetime of memories they’ve long tried to bury. Only in facing the past
will they find their path forward.</span></b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br />
<br />
Frances Mae Livingston’s firm grip of her family’s destructive history makes
her hold her husband and four children even closer. But she’s losing bits of
herself while proving to everybody and her mama that she’s enough. There’s no
way she’ll repeat her mama’s mistakes, even if it kills her.<br />
<br />
Annabelle McMillan didn’t have trouble kicking the Eastern North Carolina dust
off her feet. The tough part was replanting herself in familiar soil. Now she’s
blending her old life with her new husband, stepson, and unborn child. And
battling old memories of abandonment and new fears of rejection.<br />
<br />
Dr. Charlotte Winters has built a career around helping others sort through
their emotional baggage. She’s also spent a lifetime refusing to unpack her
own. So what if Charlotte doesn’t recall all that her mama did to her and what
her daddy didn't do <i>for</i> her? Her only mission is to help
others help themselves…until the women from her past and the man in her future
undo her well-sewn life.<br />
<br />
At the junction of healed and hurting, broken and whole, and past and present,
three women wrestle with their inability to forgive and forget in this riveting
Southern family drama about sisterhood from award-winning author Robin W.
Pearson.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Southern
family saga<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Discussion
questions for book groups<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 49.5pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">For
fans of Black authors like Patricia Raybon, Toni Shiloh, and Brit Bennett<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-32427196336359009282024-02-09T17:04:00.001-05:002024-02-09T17:04:05.157-05:00EMBERS in the LONDON SKY by SARAH Sundin REVIEW<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJat-osJsBxLx4qMfdOWow9QpD236yrMp41QDaMHbSwauRxTZx8WrGrLVMmyI2QtvxTLJW2YLYPGTb-odWJ52vd4uLwfkQhiygHwqqe3WCYk4z10Ik2t7F8075HM8CMJ_plDywHaFrCZA6W_tnxawIXrbgiJmj6hXMXmJCrLY4j9JEs_Ubr0xcbinybw/s1500/Embers%20in%20the%20London%20Sky%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJat-osJsBxLx4qMfdOWow9QpD236yrMp41QDaMHbSwauRxTZx8WrGrLVMmyI2QtvxTLJW2YLYPGTb-odWJ52vd4uLwfkQhiygHwqqe3WCYk4z10Ik2t7F8075HM8CMJ_plDywHaFrCZA6W_tnxawIXrbgiJmj6hXMXmJCrLY4j9JEs_Ubr0xcbinybw/w414-h640/Embers%20in%20the%20London%20Sky%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 6, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">REVIEW: </b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
was hooked from the first line, “As soon as she escaped to England, Aleida van
der Zee Martens would cut her hair and have her son photographed for the first
time.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In
this intriguing and dramatic novel that captured my interest and stirred up
strong emotions, it showed another side of this authors talent as she takes
readers on an incredible journey with Dutch refugee Aleida as she looks for her
three-year-old son, Theo. They had never been separated before. But in 1940,
there was an air strike, and things happened as people rushed to escape the
German invasion.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aleida
is determined to find her son, so she pursues a job that aids in the quest and
keeps going in the face of doubts. She then goes to see BBC correspondent Hugh
Collingwood in the hopes that he will mention the search for her missing son on
his radio show.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Although
he would like to help Aleida, Hugh Collingwood finds that far too many
individuals are missing. He wants to report the truth. But Hugh soon learns there
is a thin line between censorship and the truth. He can’t stop thinking about
this and Aleida.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Hugh's
quest to find his friend's killer leads to the unraveling of a compelling
mystery, which is made all the more interesting by the author's talent,
painstaking research, and compelling characters. This novel has it all—a
captivating mystery that is expertly weaved into this intriguing tale, along
with a dash of romance, history, humor, and faith. Reading this engaging story
will keep you up late.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I enjoyed the
surprise guest in this story, Lennex the cat. </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Embers
in the London Sky</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Sarah Sundin</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Revell</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: February 6, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">394
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Christian Fiction, WWII, Radio Show</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">BACK
COVER: </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As the German army invades the
Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out
the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process,
the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for
an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
<br />
When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood
reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between
truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to
fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.<br />
<br />
The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her
missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each
other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings,
they may be running out of time.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-31466902843196656572024-02-09T14:53:00.004-05:002024-02-09T14:53:39.870-05:00UP FROM DUST by HEATHER KAUFMAN - REVIEW<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAxgBmarbZ413SmpVuZxPLRQWQGErrQ8W6_ajslPHb8Wu6B0H8IfrWL5IWK0ARE44-M_596sqxwCdNtjitjRAH-taREOO9yW5Smt6HhiQCoXos1HJu1A62VtaLKScPUNkdItpWzKpbjBngJPWo2SWD2WWMPYVPxr9ZPD0u8OcawdcQXHdN6Y2TISV4ug/s466/Up%20from%20dust%20bc%202024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAxgBmarbZ413SmpVuZxPLRQWQGErrQ8W6_ajslPHb8Wu6B0H8IfrWL5IWK0ARE44-M_596sqxwCdNtjitjRAH-taREOO9yW5Smt6HhiQCoXos1HJu1A62VtaLKScPUNkdItpWzKpbjBngJPWo2SWD2WWMPYVPxr9ZPD0u8OcawdcQXHdN6Y2TISV4ug/w414-h640/Up%20from%20dust%20bc%202024.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 23, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 90.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW:</b> Wow, what a captivating novel. It was
intriguing to hear the author explain how she went about writing this complex
story about the most famous siblings in the Bible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says that when Jesus was portrayed in
these biblical stories, He already had a close relationship with Lazarus’s family.
I like how all of this is covered by her in the author’s note, which also
included quotes from scripture.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 90.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The author says, “Part one is largely fictious
and contains the biggest fictional element regarding Jesus in the form of a
back story between Him and Uri… Part two required many thoughtful choices…” She
goes on to explain what and why of her choices. I appreciated that. The author
goes on to say, “In weaving this fictional account, my desire was to remain
true to what we do know of these flesh-and-blood people who actually lived and
loved the one we call Savior and Lord.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="tab-stops: 90.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amen! Amen! This was a story that drove me to the Bible and read the accounts mentioned for myself. This is a novel you
don’t want to miss and an author you’ll want to watch.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">UP
From Dust</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Heather Kaufman</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Bethany House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: January 23, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">352
Pages</span></div></span></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Biblical Fiction, Christian Fiction</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><b>BACK
COVER: </b></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Martha of Bethany is no stranger to adversity. After her
mother's untimely death, Martha shoulders the responsibility of raising her
siblings--quiet and studious Lazarus, and wild and rambunctious Mary. She finds
solace in friendship and the beginnings of first love, but just as Martha
begins to imagine a new future, hardship strikes again and her dreams crumble
into dust.<br />
<br />
Ten years later, Martha's friend pleads for the new teacher, Jesus of Nazareth,
to come and heal her husband. When Martha discovers that the carpenter-rabbi is
connected to her past, she's not sure she can trust him with her future. But as
he continues to perform miracles, the invitation to believe becomes harder to
resist, renewing Martha's hardened heart, even as she faces an unknown future.</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> N</o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">ora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b> </b></span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-56875379421089319592024-02-02T10:10:00.005-05:002024-02-02T10:10:47.666-05:00THE IRISH MATCHMAKER by JENNIFER DEIBEL - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMiEvcbAwK0fV6-Zk-6DSug5RuEN_QoASaF_XvYLNqnWngARu4IpBzqQd-O_OHkD3uRo109i17u3XeLmCeWm4Y3Vs-kPGZk3LzfV3Hg67sLxSh3EsxCbbYkP_h9GW_9tMFybPS45vxP5r9TRWOIjpEnsm2AR4vNsPv6gI_9Qdqi8EnROymk4TRA_a6KA/s500/The%20Irish%20Matchmaker%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="323" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMiEvcbAwK0fV6-Zk-6DSug5RuEN_QoASaF_XvYLNqnWngARu4IpBzqQd-O_OHkD3uRo109i17u3XeLmCeWm4Y3Vs-kPGZk3LzfV3Hg67sLxSh3EsxCbbYkP_h9GW_9tMFybPS45vxP5r9TRWOIjpEnsm2AR4vNsPv6gI_9Qdqi8EnROymk4TRA_a6KA/w414-h640/The%20Irish%20Matchmaker%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 13, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>I liked how the story unfolds in a quaint
little town, putting on their annual matchmaking festival. The characters
grabbed at my heartstrings as Donal Bunratty seeks to make his daughter’s
birthday wish come true. He was powerless when it came to his beloved daughter’s
request. They’ve been through so much. Thus, he attends the festival with
reluctance. What he discovered there caught him off guard.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Throughout its many twists and turns, I
couldn't help but wonder how this charming story would end. I was fascinated by
the diversity of individuals involved in this lively, close-knit Irish
community. The characters come to life through their oddities, dreams, and
the magnetic allure of love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The charming romance between Catriona and Donal
was entertaining. This book is an expression of faith that skillfully
incorporates an uplifting and heartfelt message into the narrative. What makes
the story and its characters so endearing is the journey, which is similar to a
leisurely drive through Ireland's breathtaking countryside.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Irish Matchmaker is a sweet, wholesome, and
heartwarming historical romance, that’s fun to read and would be <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>great for book club. There is so much to
discuss.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Irish Matchmaker</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Jennifer Deibel</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Revell</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date February 13, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">320
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BACK COVER: As daughter of a well-known
matchmaker, Catríona Daly is no stranger to the business of love--and sees it
as her ticket away from the sleepy village that only comes alive during the
annual matchmaking festival. Enter Lord Osborne's son, Andrew, who has returned
to the festival after being disappointed by a rival matchmaker's failed setup.
Catríona seizes the opportunity to make a better match for the handsome
man--and for herself!</span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Cattle farmer Donal Bunratty is in desperate
need of a wife after loss left him to handle the farm and raise his daughter on
his own. Shy and lacking the finer social graces, he agrees to attend the
matchmaking festival to appease his daughter. But when he arrives, it's not any
of the other merrymakers that catch his eye but rather his matchmaker--who
clearly has eyes for someone else.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Catríona will have to put all her expertise to
work to make a match that could change her life forever. Will her plan succeed?
Or will love have its own way?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
<p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-34989710300884228882024-02-02T09:17:00.001-05:002024-02-09T08:41:15.602-05:00Q & A WITH JAMIE OGLE - AUTHOR OF LOVE AND TREASON<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCO8Xzky7v67132IOLEIrh3-SXD6Ld1rU2VB0xoaoE-TGkhiOjFzpQqxXRjDAeoPpKfK504j3SoJhF7OxWMpzQedvOPE2Fx5uSp_V5O1rcBv0nODiu-Wti_JVtim26NBeWjW-iuRrqeb2Gv1dYnKBwjBsyPIirvSYfcmczv596bDfFsvltWmlQkl7ckk/s445/Of%20Love%20and%20Treason%20bc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCO8Xzky7v67132IOLEIrh3-SXD6Ld1rU2VB0xoaoE-TGkhiOjFzpQqxXRjDAeoPpKfK504j3SoJhF7OxWMpzQedvOPE2Fx5uSp_V5O1rcBv0nODiu-Wti_JVtim26NBeWjW-iuRrqeb2Gv1dYnKBwjBsyPIirvSYfcmczv596bDfFsvltWmlQkl7ckk/w426-h640/Of%20Love%20and%20Treason%20bc.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 23, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Q
& A with Jamie Ogle<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Author
of Of Love and Treason</span></b></p><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This
is your debut novel! What has the process of getting your first book published
been like?</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3siA5CgWnUdwUffdI9w4YkT9iCnMQV6gFbjoUoSKnzg7zARsAozHISRJ4JR9qDHvDgeGSBdkHtPwKvUFI6gz7nhV74ufPsx4VWi-cao-3wklodG1CHs0kLa3IMs07DETexvqzqUF_K-epHOQOBrY0t1RpPrtmlkp5yIJPc4NWdvnIe2g_T52d2ESHkc/s6240/yannick-pulver-hopX_jpVtRM-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="6240" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3siA5CgWnUdwUffdI9w4YkT9iCnMQV6gFbjoUoSKnzg7zARsAozHISRJ4JR9qDHvDgeGSBdkHtPwKvUFI6gz7nhV74ufPsx4VWi-cao-3wklodG1CHs0kLa3IMs07DETexvqzqUF_K-epHOQOBrY0t1RpPrtmlkp5yIJPc4NWdvnIe2g_T52d2ESHkc/s320/yannick-pulver-hopX_jpVtRM-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@yanu?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Yannick Pulver</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/open-book-on-brown-wooden-table-hopX_jpVtRM?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Like
most authors who pursue traditional publishing, there were so many highs and
lows (and a lot of rejections) along the way, but God was so faithful to lead,
guide, and encourage me through it all. I didn't know if the end result of the
work would be a published novel or if it was going to be a journey where God
would grow my faith—it turned out to be both! Getting to publish with Tyndale
is a total dream come true! <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><i> </i></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>Of
Love and Treason </i>centers on a historical figure. Where did your interest in the
legend of St. Valentine come from?</b></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I was
never really a fan of Valentine's Day. I thought it was a dumb, commercialized
holiday, and my research began as an attempt to justify how stupid I thought it
all was. But the more I dug into Valentine, ancient Rome, and church history, I
found myself falling in love with the story. As scenes and snippets of
conversations popped into my head, I started to write them down, and pretty </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;">soon I’d written the first draft of the novel.</span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzF01XIGOisZrH7wBht08z35IEWIzLAr6rDrbPsfmEjzv6de5BwW2cbqPPCAmhETkWxYH8IUuVbgT1tsWYnGh5Lzr0Yb4piU1hPc8mgcuhslDmlrVq1X89GdHSnIUm-4aRgx0a__op4X94qHzY4L3azyMG9TWYMOxaMc8ZmWyJlRwv-1aytsE3jPu0HD0/s4359/freestocks-Y9mWkERHYCU-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2907" data-original-width="4359" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzF01XIGOisZrH7wBht08z35IEWIzLAr6rDrbPsfmEjzv6de5BwW2cbqPPCAmhETkWxYH8IUuVbgT1tsWYnGh5Lzr0Yb4piU1hPc8mgcuhslDmlrVq1X89GdHSnIUm-4aRgx0a__op4X94qHzY4L3azyMG9TWYMOxaMc8ZmWyJlRwv-1aytsE3jPu0HD0/s320/freestocks-Y9mWkERHYCU-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@freestocks?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">freestocks</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/heart-bokeh-light-Y9mWkERHYCU?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">This
story touches on themes of surrender and sacrifice. How have your own life
experiences shaped your exploration of these topics?</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I’m a
planner, a plotter, and a perfectionist—which are fine qualities for a writer,
but sort of a detriment when it comes to things like trust and surrender.
However, this whole writing and publishing journey has been one of constant
surrender and trust that while I can do the work God has called me to, the
results are not in my hands. It’s a lesson I am learning and relearning all the
time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you enjoy about historical fiction? What was it like writing a fictional
retelling?</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
love that historical fiction lets us explore the adventures of the past, while
showing that the inner struggles and desires of people then are still similar
and relatable to us today. It's a dichotomy of being both an escape and a
mirror. Writing a historical retelling was an interesting challenge!</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">The history of Saint Valentine has turned
to stuff of legend over time, with each version of the story differing here and
there. I had to operate under a mindset of "If these stories are true, how
could they have happened based on what we know of the culture at that
time?"</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">After many edits and revisions, it was
really exciting to see it all fit together, even though there were a few things
that I wish didn't have to be historically accurate.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Who is
your favorite character in the novel? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
don't know why, but whether I'm reading or writing, I always find myself more
attached to a secondary character over a main character. It just happens. Titus
was that character for me in <i>Of Love and Treason. </i>In the original
drafts, he was always there, doing his job as a secondary character, but when I
realized we needed to hear his own side of the events in the story, he took on
a whole new level of complexity and became my favorite character to explore.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">How
does faith play a role in this story? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyuzimD7IXhHsVcdHA5HriWlXR8uQXxUDK0uqyG6wFx3ynAaibyrlpix4eOYzvk9c0soYLU8usfN22ByxcMXENZpfCKEIgoH36jHi7GdaUw-NG7CTOww1ZhFSwoEh1DR-OMqxnMZje1cmWtrzA0IX8Z-DnX2HImJmCPZK43f-VJ2zh34HaOPDusQAkRc/s5795/alex-shute-6N3hwSsdleQ-unsplash.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3627" data-original-width="5795" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDyuzimD7IXhHsVcdHA5HriWlXR8uQXxUDK0uqyG6wFx3ynAaibyrlpix4eOYzvk9c0soYLU8usfN22ByxcMXENZpfCKEIgoH36jHi7GdaUw-NG7CTOww1ZhFSwoEh1DR-OMqxnMZje1cmWtrzA0IX8Z-DnX2HImJmCPZK43f-VJ2zh34HaOPDusQAkRc/s320/alex-shute-6N3hwSsdleQ-unsplash.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@faithgiant?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Alex Shute</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-wooden-block-that-says-faith-next-to-blue-flowers-6N3hwSsdleQ?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />JAMIE: </span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Within
the story, we find each of the characters putting their faith in different
things. Some place their faith in God; others look to pagan gods, themselves,
alcohol, peer acceptance, etc., in hopes that these things will satisfy and
solve the problems they face. It’s so easy to look to other things to
satisfy—I’ve done it in my own life over and over, and I’m so glad God
continually calls us back to what will truly fill our longings (Himself). I
think Augustine of Hippo said it best when he wrote, “You have made us for
Yourself, and our hearts are restless til they find their rest in You.” <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">What
do you hope readers take away from <i>Of Love and Treason</i>? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
hope readers are as captivated by this story as I was. Digging into the
courageous stories of how our spiritual ancestors deemed God worthy of their
worship and obedience no matter the cost changed me and challenged my own faith
to go deeper. The thing I love most about history, and especially church
history, is that in the darkest moments, when all seems lost, there’s always a
spark of light rebelliously pushing back the dark. I find these stories
incredibly hopeful, because if God could use ordinary people to do
extraordinary things back then, He can do the same with us today. Ihope readers
come away from this story with that same knowledge.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you
have any future writing projects planned? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbxWY8PJWlNqs2EA-dOzSvXvgGE0irww_TO3uVuIiL8kUz5wadZFdPWF2u9Q1u_PCZcLiQ0PYePqOcJpWI-dxXBsCopryNfze3gufaZqORSPkYKHCzOjKZ_vDSozgNLajFNr5SJm4c-BoPYm3Jj5SRsmpXxd7uHQg7Og5oagY76ZiMfgff0Ej35wd3V4/s5760/shubham-dhage-xT6j94kM_lE-unsplash.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5760" data-original-width="3240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkbxWY8PJWlNqs2EA-dOzSvXvgGE0irww_TO3uVuIiL8kUz5wadZFdPWF2u9Q1u_PCZcLiQ0PYePqOcJpWI-dxXBsCopryNfze3gufaZqORSPkYKHCzOjKZ_vDSozgNLajFNr5SJm4c-BoPYm3Jj5SRsmpXxd7uHQg7Og5oagY76ZiMfgff0Ej35wd3V4/s320/shubham-dhage-xT6j94kM_lE-unsplash.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@theshubhamdhage?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Shubham Dhage</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/an-open-book-sitting-on-top-of-a-stack-of-books-xT6j94kM_lE?utm_content=creditCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />JAMIE:</span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
just turned in my second book, which I can’t speak too much on just yet, since
I’m sure there will be changes, but it’s a story of courage and forgiveness set
in the early fourth century, involving the legends of Saint Nicholas. A few of
the characters from <i>Of Love and Treason </i>make an appearance, and it was really
fun to sneak them into this new story and get to see what they’ve been up to.</span><p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b></b></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8i8PA2UDfKcRRlb7lmuZgilt8Id95lTghTgAVUxbn4q7IdlwVeBGVt1hHpYVKtaGzJH2G88X7Tk_wh0lp25-5dbeHTFvXgMAVO7kiXAY2j4YRGv9-i1lIo-Vi5un6qiqPv-YOZFPi_QACMWnbGHlA4aq3Hpfvd9yp4_oGsXM9cH-4kDCyWgtvy_tjuU/s286/Jamie%20Ogle%20author%20head%20shot.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="217" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl8i8PA2UDfKcRRlb7lmuZgilt8Id95lTghTgAVUxbn4q7IdlwVeBGVt1hHpYVKtaGzJH2G88X7Tk_wh0lp25-5dbeHTFvXgMAVO7kiXAY2j4YRGv9-i1lIo-Vi5un6qiqPv-YOZFPi_QACMWnbGHlA4aq3Hpfvd9yp4_oGsXM9cH-4kDCyWgtvy_tjuU/s1600/Jamie%20Ogle%20author%20head%20shot.jpg" width="217" /></a></b></span></div><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><b><br />AUTHOR JAMIE OGLE:</b></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt;"> is a predawn writer, a homeschool mom by day,
and a reader by night. Inspired by her fascination with the storied history of
faith, she writes historical fiction infused with hope, adventure, and
courageous rebels. A Minnesota native, she now lives in Iowa with her husband
and their three children, and she can usually be found gardening, beekeeping,
and tromping through the woods.</span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></i></p><p align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Of
Love and Treason</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> by Jamie Ogle Hardcover | 978-1-4964-7966-2 |
$29.99 Softcover | 978-1-4964-7967-9 | $16.99 January 2024 Tyndale.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks
to Isabella Graunke/Tyndale Publishing for permission to post this interview.</span></i></p><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-49008242864417057902024-02-01T07:46:00.000-05:002024-02-01T07:46:34.855-05:00WHEN THE WATERS CAME by CANDICE SUE PATTERSON - REVIEWED<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLxgbKMWX_0ZskQmsic8g4bhbb2XxlrfBOUZQxDif_rBniiFqNJIqX0h-saNxSA1MXhgh7NPATTIM6v5rtUYylNI8l12Xizi8F52SFAz5Y_usR5Uou7Ojw-YiyT4UUzn_pdWHBwTgX_I-VPBf1ooPHlkl2YqokzBMW87hAwdq6aTKlhJebx8Jx4HnWgQ/s1500/When%20the%20Water%20Came%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="985" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLxgbKMWX_0ZskQmsic8g4bhbb2XxlrfBOUZQxDif_rBniiFqNJIqX0h-saNxSA1MXhgh7NPATTIM6v5rtUYylNI8l12Xizi8F52SFAz5Y_usR5Uou7Ojw-YiyT4UUzn_pdWHBwTgX_I-VPBf1ooPHlkl2YqokzBMW87hAwdq6aTKlhJebx8Jx4HnWgQ/w420-h640/When%20the%20Water%20Came%20bc.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 1, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">REVIEW: </b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This
story takes place in Johnstown Philadelphia in 1889, it made me think of
Hurricane Katrina, which devastated three states in 2005. The levees
surrounding the city of New Orleans had engineering defects that exacerbated
the issue. Likewise this tale based on true events, revealed that the South Fork Fishing
and Hunting Club was aware of the dam's cracks but took no action to stop and /or
prevent this </span>tragedy<span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not
only was this community trying to pick up the pieces of their lives after a devastating
loss of life, loved ones, and mass destruction, but they were also battling typhoid
fever.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
enjoyed how the author used the perspectives of Pastor Monty and volunteer
nurse Annamae Worthington to tell this story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Annamae is a nurse who is working under Miss
Clara Barton, (who founded the American Red Cross.) It was fun to learn that
not only was Clara a hospital nurse in the Civil War, but she was a teacher, a
patent clerk and mentor to Annamae. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
investigation into why the dam broke, which Monty and Annamae collaborated on,
unfortunately points to Monty's uncle, whom Annamae believes is to blame for
her father's passing. It's possible that this will be the last straw for their
newly discovered love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even
though the subject matter in this book was difficult to read at times, I
couldn't put it down. As the main characters start a new chapter in their
lives, the author provides them with hope. Each learns how to let go and deal
with life's challenges, allowing God to heal their bodies and wounded
hearts.</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
the Waters Came (A Day to Remember series Bk1)</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Candice Sue Patterson</span></b></div></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by Barbour Publishing</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date January 1, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">306
Pages</span></div></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Christian </span>Fiction<span style="font-size: 12pt;">, Historical Fiction, Disaster, Wholesome Romance</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BACK
COVER: <span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">An
act of greed or an act of God?</span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;"> <br />
<span class="a-text-italic"><i>Introducing a new series of 6 exciting novels
featuring historic American disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple
lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a
day to be remembered.</i></span><br />
<br />
Pastor Montgomery Childs has tended his flock in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, for
two years. While his pews are full every Sunday, he most desires to see a
reckoning between God and the kings of industry who recreate on Lake Conemaugh.
The pleasure grounds, flowing alcohol, and business dealings of the South Fork
Fishing and Hunting Club taunts Monty as he works to heal the wounds inflicted
from his own privileged childhood among Pittsburgh society. Like Noah, Monty
prays against the evil surrounding him, but he never expects God to send a
flood.<br />
<br />
It takes five days for the Red Cross to respond to the Johnstown flood
disaster, but when it does, Annamae Worthington is ready to help. Apprenticing
under Clara Barton has prepared her for the job, but nothing can prepare her
for the death and destruction that awaits. As if the survivors haven’t suffered
enough, typhoid fever ravages the town, resurfacing suppressed emotions
regarding her father’s death.<br />
<br />
Narrowly surviving the flood and the horrifying things he’s witnessed, Monty’s
faith is floundering. Then a Red Cross nurse puts him to work helping with the
typhoid fever victims arriving at the hospital tents every hour. Monty and
Annamae work together distributing disinfectants and supplies, housing orphans,
and serving those left behind. Slowly, his faith resurfaces. A kinship forms
between them neither can ignore. But when an investigation into the collapsed
dam points to the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, secrets emerge that may
tear them apart</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-25147394253809170442024-01-31T16:18:00.001-05:002024-01-31T16:18:30.426-05:00OF LOVE AND TREASON by JAMIE OGLE - REVIEWED<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJEVdEfj-SgWD2w5TE0UHkhlJLORvZmTB-AmU67sIYLGcKXL1lg5JaSs6iCGUtbL_NpsFNu1EeFXi8SG6RjeIAV9dNOzl96QqWve_kQlRZz6kXrKLm6Z5x4V16E5cf32oCtoFsY4g2gTbmuM-h71DvUvsgzdly4yYx4-CPzWptexewsosxIcCbYuKyxY/s445/Of%20Love%20and%20Treason%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="296" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJEVdEfj-SgWD2w5TE0UHkhlJLORvZmTB-AmU67sIYLGcKXL1lg5JaSs6iCGUtbL_NpsFNu1EeFXi8SG6RjeIAV9dNOzl96QqWve_kQlRZz6kXrKLm6Z5x4V16E5cf32oCtoFsY4g2gTbmuM-h71DvUvsgzdly4yYx4-CPzWptexewsosxIcCbYuKyxY/w426-h640/Of%20Love%20and%20Treason%20bc.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 23, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>The
author whisks readers away into the Colosseum in Rome, where a broken and
bruised man stood—not the hero the crowd had imagined. “The man isn’t afraid to
die. He will be saved like the three in
the fiery furnace. A miracle that would cause all in the stands to believe in
the One God.” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
love how this author has her main characters interact with the store owners and
takes readers through the streets of Rome. She additionally provides an insight
into the struggles faced by the early church. It is like the world situation we
are currently facing.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We
then meet Iris, the jailor's young blind daughter who is trying on a pendant which
promises a miracle if she wears it. Her father has spent a great deal of money
attempting to restore his daughter's sight.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">She has heard about a God who is able to heal people. He makes no
demands for money of any kind. After everything she's been through, she finds
this hard to accept, yet she can't afford to ignore this knowledge,</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
enjoyed the author's note, in which she admits that she has never been a fan of
Valentine's Day. She started her investigation to demonstrate the ridiculousness
of Valentine's Day. However, during her study, she came across a guy named
Valentine who, infuriated by Emperor Claudius II's ban on marriage, went on to
secretly marry couples until he was captured. He fell in love with the jailor's
blind daughter when he was incarcerated. Before being taken away to be
executed, he left her a love letter signed, “Love, your Valentine.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
though Valentine shares scripture, and prayers for Iris it didn’t feel forced
and/or preachy. It naturally followed through the characters with their
sacrificial love that touched my heart. This made for a riveting, page turning,
emotional read, I couldn’t put down. This is a gripping story you don’t want to
miss. It would be a wonderful book club pick.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">Of
Love and Treason</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Jamie Ogle</span></b></div></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by Tyndale</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
January 23, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">400
Pages</span></div></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hashtag#
Christian Historical Romance, Ancient World Historical Romance<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">BACK
COVER: </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Valentine
defies the emperor and becomes a hero . . . and the most wanted man in the
empire. Compelled by his faith, he has nothing to lose, until a chance
encounter with the daughter of a Roman jailor changes everything.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">
<span class="a-text-bold"><b>Rome, AD 270.</b></span> In the wake of the
emperor’s marriage ban, rumors swirl that there is one man brave enough to
perform wedding ceremonies in secret. A public notarius and leader of an
underground church, Valentine believes the emperor’s edict unjust and risks his
own life for the sake of his convictions. But as his fame grows, so do fears
for his safety.<br />
<br />
Iris, the daughter of a Roman jailor, believes regaining her sight will ease
the mounting troubles at home. Her last hope rests in searching out Valentine
and his church, but the danger of associating with people labeled a threat to
the empire is great. Still, as Iris's new friends lead her to faith in God,
Iris is drawn to Valentine and they both begin to hope for a future together
beyond the treacherous empire.<br />
<br />
But when a past debt and a staggering betrayal collide, Valentine, Iris, and
everyone they love must fight for their lives . . . and wrestle with trusting
God who can restore sight yet does not always keep His followers from peril.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;"></span></span><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-43082944929797254842024-01-24T08:51:00.007-05:002024-01-24T08:51:58.433-05:00THE BRITISH BOOKSELLERS by KRISTY CAMBRON - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA-28vtTe7GBYaVHAZax9jglD5Yoc7rKeJRirMBM_8a8N7tDbd2DkQ75xSNBjkyQhn3W6TmTt4YkFlMfJASI9hP8jk6mefvUD7bMwN_r7luCJIZGORWv-rXxr6Y30txNez7xjFrxCuzw5DcNVZ1BebwDVOyXDaVbnJp_FY6TWpm0DmxLozfszctKNk_0/s445/The%20British%20Book%20Sellers%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="293" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvA-28vtTe7GBYaVHAZax9jglD5Yoc7rKeJRirMBM_8a8N7tDbd2DkQ75xSNBjkyQhn3W6TmTt4YkFlMfJASI9hP8jk6mefvUD7bMwN_r7luCJIZGORWv-rXxr6Y30txNez7xjFrxCuzw5DcNVZ1BebwDVOyXDaVbnJp_FY6TWpm0DmxLozfszctKNk_0/w422-h640/The%20British%20Book%20Sellers%20bc.jpg" width="422" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE APRIL 9, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>I
was first drawn in by the beautiful, intriguing cover and quickly became captivated by teenage Amos Darby and Charlotte Terrington who are
having a great time as they made plans that included their love of music
and books. Their connection began as young people, fueled by their mutual love
of reading, and blossomed into a romantic journey that took them through two
world wars. It was a beautiful, heartbreaking, and bittersweet love story
filled with music, their shared love of books, sadness, and forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
found it intriguing how the author alternated between the two timelines—the
current one, in which fighting is ongoing, and Charlotte Terrington's and Amos
Darby's teenage years. Amos (the farm boy) is a little older than Lady Charlotte.
The author expertly utilizes flashbacks from the past to help readers
understand what happened to this couple and the reasons behind their conflict.
Over time, Amos and Charlotte drifted apart, and became enemies, but they would
band together to fight Hitler at any cost. Conflict is never easy, but in the
end, hope, love, and healing win.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is a gripping story you won’t soon forget. This is a great escape and one that
you’re book club will enjoy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: Montserrat;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
British Booksellers</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Kristy Cambron</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Thomas Nelson</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: April 9, 2023</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">384
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#Historical
Fiction, Christian Historical, Wholesome Romance,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">BACK COVER: </span><span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">Inspired by real accounts
of the Forgotten Blitz bombings, <i>The British Booksellers </i>highlights
the courage of those whose lives were forever changed by war—and the stories
that bind us in the fight for what matters most.</span></b></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">A
tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s
daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with
Charlotte Terrington . . . until the reality of the Great War
sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of
battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His
return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment
of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">When
the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was
destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago,
she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years
later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late
husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books,
lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the
rival bookseller across the lane.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">As
war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So
when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy
everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to
fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz
terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and
Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry
survive.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">From
deep in the trenches of the Great War to the storied English countryside and
the devastating Coventry Blitz of WWII, <span class="a-text-italic"><i>The
British Booksellers</i></span> explores the unbreakable bonds that unite
us through love, loss, and the enduring solace that can be found between the
pages of a book.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a><br /></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-43727399066399913172024-01-21T12:54:00.002-05:002024-02-27T07:49:31.767-05:00WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS by ELIZABETH CAMDEN - REVIEWED<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCnloADtpElqZ0tcrYdD8_JBacgbAWhdrupgh1vxgnBWq9U2rQwqwygmdeO2Z4KVazh1rqNIDW5zV2GJVuWAm60JcTNljp1sQdEtaS3Sp2r14eLJp1wBbHaojzgxdD6W1kkvWCiCCylG5PQSZWRR607iuUZ4z5YfTVYccr9CCBalqXKqe2BXEBXqmMhA/s466/While%20the%20City%20Sleeps%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCnloADtpElqZ0tcrYdD8_JBacgbAWhdrupgh1vxgnBWq9U2rQwqwygmdeO2Z4KVazh1rqNIDW5zV2GJVuWAm60JcTNljp1sQdEtaS3Sp2r14eLJp1wBbHaojzgxdD6W1kkvWCiCCylG5PQSZWRR607iuUZ4z5YfTVYccr9CCBalqXKqe2BXEBXqmMhA/w414-h640/While%20the%20City%20Sleeps%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 13, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>REVIEW:</b> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It
took me a little bit to get into the story, mainly the difficulty was the fact
it opens up in a dental office, the main character is a dentist working on a
patient who has never been to the dentist before. (I’m not a fan of going to
the dentists’ office but I do go!) I pressed through my anxiety. I’m glad I
did.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Katherine
Schneider, the primary character, is a female dentist employed by
"Painless" Parker, is a woman ahead of her time in the field of
dentistry. She loves what she does and where she lives. She is compelled to
share important information with the police after overhearing a dangerous plot
to harm the city she loves. Katherine reaches out to police officer, Jonathan
Birch first because she has feelings for him and feels safe in
sharing with him. They’ve developed a friendship over the last two years as
Jonthan has walked her to the metro every night. The friendship between
Katherine and Jonathan takes an unexpected turn, following a terrifying
incident that fills the community with fear. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jonathan
was reluctant to get close to Katherine because, as it turns out, he had a past
that no one knew about. Finding the bomber would require him to face his past.
This story explores the joys and sorrows associated with family, friendship, in
addition to the grief and loss of loved ones.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is the first book in a brand-new series called The Women of Midtown. I’m
excited about this new series. This makes for a fascinating, intriguing read
filled with mystery, and a sweet romance. It works for book club too. Looking
forward to reading the next book in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">While
the City Sleeps</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">By
Elizabeth Camden</span></div><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Bethany House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: February 13, 2024</span></div></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">352
Page</span>s</span></div></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Historical Fiction, American Historical, Christian Fiction, Wholesome Romance</span></p>
<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">BACK COVER: <span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Amid the
hushed city, two hearts must navigate danger and deception, bound by a love
that outshines the stars.</span></b></span><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;"><br />
<b><br />
</b>Katherine Schneider's life as a dentist in 1913 New York is upended when a
patient reveals details of a deadly plot while under the influence of laughing
gas. As she is plunged into danger, she seeks help from the dashing Lieutenant
Jonathan Birch, a police officer she has long admired from afar.<br />
<br />
Jonathan has harbored powerful feelings toward Katherine for years but never
acted on them, knowing his dark history is something she could never abide.
Now, with her safety on the line, he works alongside her through the nights as
they unravel the criminal conspiracy that threatens her . . . even as he keeps
his deepest secrets hidden at all costs.<br />
<!--[endif]--></span></span>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher, and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><b> </b></o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-12072560048563258872024-01-19T14:44:00.006-05:002024-01-19T14:44:56.795-05:00THE FOXHOLE VICTORY TOUR by AMY LYNN GREEN - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS28S4IQFnsBdLXta9cMHJ_2tgujEt6RqhKPnJjpjiMy1OVE8Aok3ww7X7zH7Rg1EgsbIIIl86nALvgvzty8XOyZqv9W0rZjm-JLOsXZnFPwYz_xhgMFU1qf3sEsdrv9lveKmFLZmqgkms-pC8rYuIwCQAe1_phqjpvfu0wrL7x6ckXDQswwgM1y-Z1OY/s466/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS28S4IQFnsBdLXta9cMHJ_2tgujEt6RqhKPnJjpjiMy1OVE8Aok3ww7X7zH7Rg1EgsbIIIl86nALvgvzty8XOyZqv9W0rZjm-JLOsXZnFPwYz_xhgMFU1qf3sEsdrv9lveKmFLZmqgkms-pC8rYuIwCQAe1_phqjpvfu0wrL7x6ckXDQswwgM1y-Z1OY/w414-h640/The%20Foxhole%20Victory%20Tour%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 23, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">REVIEW:</b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Bob
Hope comes to mind when I hear USO camps. He was known as the “one-man morale
machine.” Bob Hope and the other entertainers felt it was important to build a
relationship with the soldiers fighting in this vicious war. I was unaware that
there were other camp performers and/or camp productions that did not feature
well-known movie stars. This story is focused on the unknowns.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Two
female musicians from the wartime orchestra narrate the tale. Maggie McCleod is
intense and speaks her mind. She decides to relaunch her career by enlisting in
the USO. In her brief career, she has burned a few bridges and hopes to find
herself through the tour.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then
there is Catherine Duquette, who abandons a life of luxury and fortune to
enlist in the USO camp. She is trying to locate a charming pilot who doesn't
appear to be writing to her anymore. Was he still living? She was hoping to find
out.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">While
Bob Hope and his fellow entertainers made it seem easy, I had no idea the
struggles and danger each artist went through to make the soldiers smile. This
captivating, intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the challenges, risks, and
painstaking efforts taken to make the show work is eye opening. I had no idea
the depth and danger all the entertainers went through to bring joy to the
troops.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Don't
miss this story of unknown performers competing for a spot in Bob Hopes show, who
face the risks, difficulties, and perils they endured to fulfill their contract
to entertain the soldiers, Each performer goes on a unique journey to find
their place in the war and so much more.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
would be a great book club pick, its also an intriguing read. Mark your calendars.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Foxhole Victory Tour</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
Amy Lynn Green</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Bethany House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date January 23, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">400
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Religious Historical Fiction, WWII</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BOOK
COVER: <span class="a-text-bold"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Based
on true World War II stories of life in the USO variety shows, worlds collide
when performers from around the United States come together to tour North
Africa.</span></b></span><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;"><br />
</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;"><br />
Vibrant and scrappy Maggie McCleod tried not to get fired from her wartime
orchestra, but her sharp tongue landed her in trouble, so an overseas adventure
with the USO's camp show promises a chance at a fresh start. Wealthy and
elegant Catherine Duquette signs with the USO to leave behind her restrictive
life of privilege and to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of the
handsome pilot whose letters mysteriously stopped arriving.<br />
<br />
The two women are joined by an eclectic group of performers--a scheming blues
singer, a veteran tap dancer, and a brooding magician--but the harmony among
their troupe is short-lived when their tour manager announces he will soon
recommend one of them for a coveted job in the Hollywood spotlight. Each of the
five members has a reason to want the contract, and they'll do whatever is
necessary to claim it. As their troupe travels closer to the dangerous
battlefront in Tunisia, personal crises and wartime dangers only intensify,
putting not only their careers but also their lives on the line.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher, and NetGalley. 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.”</span></p>
<h1 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog <a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</a></span></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="background: white; color: #676767; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-12229576687773787882024-01-18T11:38:00.003-05:002024-01-18T11:38:50.615-05:00THE DIVINE PROVERB OF STREUSEL by SARA BRUNSVOLD - REVIEWED<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqolbZcf5XdpdUiLmRFchYewBD1SbAY3ZUl9-4DgavQmUgxGGz4O_uMyuEfHBas8HrkT-nSjF5tsGhN2lKcF2JaLju93VsTZjVuBMdIeZeeF2QzOAHvwMAn2hDcJR9e4_4hX2AWBRju7TC5ArvuBj0ErfbtV91X7jqZQ9yFPfu6rxrBHX9jX83wIDH7kY/s445/The%20Divine%20Proverb%20of%20Streusel%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="288" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqolbZcf5XdpdUiLmRFchYewBD1SbAY3ZUl9-4DgavQmUgxGGz4O_uMyuEfHBas8HrkT-nSjF5tsGhN2lKcF2JaLju93VsTZjVuBMdIeZeeF2QzOAHvwMAn2hDcJR9e4_4hX2AWBRju7TC5ArvuBj0ErfbtV91X7jqZQ9yFPfu6rxrBHX9jX83wIDH7kY/w414-h640/The%20Divine%20Proverb%20of%20Streusel%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE JANUARY 16, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>After
finishing <i>The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip,</i> the author's striking
and imaginative debut novel. I was eager to read her follow-up book. This new
novel explores the suffering and fallout of divorce on adult children. Because
the author has personally dealt with this situation, she has insight into the subject
covered that others may not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
author's personal experience, along with the background and ancestry of her own
family, served as inspiration for this novel. I liked how the author gave Nikki
a historical and cultural overview of her grandmother's parents in addition to
some delicious dishes. Two of which came from the author's grandmother's cookbook.
Mother's Schoenborn's Raisin Nut Cookies and Scalloped Cabbage and Raisin
Nut Cookies. Concealed inside the recipes are thought-provoking ingredients.
The grandma shares pearls of wisdom gleaned from proverbs and her personal
encounters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
liked Nikki’s Uncle Wess who welcomes her with open arms and gives her a safe place
to think. Tucked neatly into the recipes are food for thought. The grandmother
pours out wisdom from proverbs and her own life’s experiences. She talks about
reconciling the most broken relationships.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Aunt
Emma had a great sense of humor. I adored her zeal for life and her ability
to make a joke out of everything. She could even make a hilarious story
out of falling and getting cuts on her face. She would not allow anything to
bring her down. I enjoyed how Joyce and Nikki approached
their challenging life choices and how they worked on
the recipes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
would make a great book club pick. There is so much to discuss and recipes to
make!</span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Divine Proverb of Streusel</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Sara Brunsvold</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Revell</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: January 16, 2024</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">336
Pages</span></div></span></span></h1><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Contemporary Women Fiction, Family Life, Women’s Domestic Life Fiction</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BACK
COVER: <span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Shaken by her parents'
divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious
boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle's farm in a small Missouri
hamlet. She'll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered
present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral
farm is a past she barely knows.</span><span style="color: #0f1111;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Among her late grandmother's belongings, Nikki
finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings
pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites
locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town's history, her
ancestors--and her estranged father.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">What started as a cathartic way to connect to
her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women
before her endured--with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how
delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal
wounds of the past.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-22874677718240709622024-01-11T08:26:00.003-05:002024-01-11T08:26:31.617-05:00THE WOMEN by KRISTIN HANNAH REVIEWED<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCWYFajKVrLRoBc0ChpyCp0PUq-97GK_JlpLzy5KQB1tuHL9RoQB7EMkknC0BHiOLfCMLZlwKt-6MGIfU9b3GnOWOz8oztF0ck0UD1sMCV7l9XTfRVsXwkFNi02M0btP0fxWDW1NCArgFdo-0MwyXIn6AP_NHM4N0UiB0otMU1rIgEdqJsvbdA6bYB_k/s466/The%20Women%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="311" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXCWYFajKVrLRoBc0ChpyCp0PUq-97GK_JlpLzy5KQB1tuHL9RoQB7EMkknC0BHiOLfCMLZlwKt-6MGIfU9b3GnOWOz8oztF0ck0UD1sMCV7l9XTfRVsXwkFNi02M0btP0fxWDW1NCArgFdo-0MwyXIn6AP_NHM4N0UiB0otMU1rIgEdqJsvbdA6bYB_k/w428-h640/The%20Women%20bc.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE FEBRUARY 6, 2024</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <b>REVIEW: </b>T<span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">he novel
opens with an introduction to Finely's farewell party. Finely is headed to Vietnam.
His father is proud of him. Finely’s sister Frankie is expected to conform to
the cultural norms of the early 1960s, which was to get married in a
respectable ceremony, have children, and get involved in the same circles as
her parents. Conversely, Frankie decides that she can be a hero too, just like
her brother, and serve her country while making her family proud. She applies
to the Army Nurse Corps, hoping to follow in her brother's footsteps. When
Frankie’s family disapproves of her choices her life rapidly changes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
author transports readers to the mid-1960s, just after JFK was shot in Texas
and shows how Frankie could not have been more unprepared for the horrors and
tragedies that befell her in Vietnam. I appreciated how the author put the
reader in Frankie's shoes as she struggles through life. I value her candor as
well as her sorrow, strength, and resilience. The book follows Frankie on a
20-year journey that spans two tours in Vietnam, as she fights for her own
survival. Even though, she put her life in danger to defend her country, she
returns to find that she is not considered a war hero like the men who fought
in Vietnam. Frankie notes how people avoid discussing the war, and even her own
family treat her as though she has done something shameful, something they
would prefer to keep buried. Frankie quickly learns that the naive, idealized
girl her family wants is not who she is and never will be. Her life had changed
forever, in Vietnam. She saw horrible things she can’t pretend they never
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate the honesty, and
how poignant, tough, and resilient these women were. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The
author writes a well-crafted, hopeful, compelling novel with endearing
characters. It gives a well-rounded overview of the Vietnam War from beginning
to end. It’s smart, gritty, and unforgettable. This novel is difficult to put
into words and in parts hard to read. I like how the author captures the
women’s strength, resilience, bravery, and their determination to save the
wounded. It is incredible. Frankie is thankful for her nurse friends who come
home before she did. They understood her struggle. They too were told by
society to forget the past, move on. These women and their story will pull at
your heartstrings, as society, and her family want her to fit back into her old
life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This
is an incredibly accurate depiction of Frankie's tragic journey, marked by
severe setbacks, battles with addiction, and bitterness toward those who had
mistreated and deceived her. The difficult days and nights that these women and
the doctors went through was masterfully captured. Frankie is an incredible
fighter who is brave, sensitive, tarnished by war but not broken. With its
thorough descriptions of the wounds, limb losses, and fatalities, this
narrative is not for the faint of heart. This is an eye opening and educational
journey that showed sides of the Vietnam War I never heard about. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This
is a thought-provoking story you don’t want to miss. I liked how this story
ended on a positive note. This is the first book by this author, it won't be my
last.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h1 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Women</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Kristin Hannah</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-size: 12pt;">St.
Martin’s Press</span></div></span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release Date: February 6, 2024</span></div><o:p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">480 Pages</span></div></o:p></span></span></h1><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">HashTag#Family Life, Historical, Women’s Domestic Life
Fiction</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">BACK COVER: The Women—at once an intimate portrait of
coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
<i>Women can be heroes.</i> When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances
“Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the
sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her
conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing.
But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a
different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam,
she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.<br />
<br />
As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is
over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life
and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an
instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken,
and the lost.<br />
<br />
But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real
battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry
protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.<br />
<br />
The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all
women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to
their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and
bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine
whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-17514831577024947382024-01-11T07:44:00.007-05:002024-01-11T07:44:57.559-05:00UNDER THE MANGO TREE by PAMELA BINNINGS EWEN - REVIEW<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGL2wXfU1XhAorJ0nZEvTGdbrihUmjhhL8QyLSxyZ7A7wRWV-BLLKBJvH-nce6y48LR8M6nA6xXLr09OdHkSmX_3A_Sq8uIrYqxQ-DqPAsHpMWeyDdExn6u6MIgG2VpFIfSq-YkKIpfUCw5MTLYSc6_a1b-Q35FH6USBRkNpxwL8DyzW7f6dyStbXsPkY/s466/The%20Moon%20in%20the%20Mango%20Tree%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="286" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGL2wXfU1XhAorJ0nZEvTGdbrihUmjhhL8QyLSxyZ7A7wRWV-BLLKBJvH-nce6y48LR8M6nA6xXLr09OdHkSmX_3A_Sq8uIrYqxQ-DqPAsHpMWeyDdExn6u6MIgG2VpFIfSq-YkKIpfUCw5MTLYSc6_a1b-Q35FH6USBRkNpxwL8DyzW7f6dyStbXsPkY/w392-h640/The%20Moon%20in%20the%20Mango%20Tree%20bc.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 17, 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>When
we first meet them in 1919. the newlyweds Mr. and Mrs. Perkins are on their way
to Siam to work on the mission field. Barbara gives up her ambition to
become an opera singer in order to support her husband's work. Barbara soon
discovers that the people in Nan Valley, which is located north of Siam, do not
appreciate her singing talent or her love of music. She is turned down when she
offers to teach the kids how to sing, play music, and other musical things.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
liked that the majority of the tale takes place in Thailand's jungles. Barbara
soon becomes a working mother who is attempting to strike a balance between work
and her family. Despite being in the mission field, this couple does not enjoy
their work. They face a test of faith, which is covered in more detail near the
book's conclusion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
liked how the writer takes readers to places like Bangkok, Rome, Paris,
Thailand, etc. This story is loosely based on the author's mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main character didn't appear to be close
to God. but is fascinated by Buddhism. The husband does not have a strong
faith and rarely demonstrates to Barbara how much he loves her, appreciates her,
and fails to safeguard his wife. The plot of the book includes scenes
involving drinking, smoking, and extramarital flirtations. Barbara is a
fascinating figure who follows her husband’s calling to Siam, develops her own
identity and voice in the end.</span></p><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Moon in the Mango Tree</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By
Pamela Binnings Ewen</span></div></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Blackstone Publishing</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: October 17, 2023 482 Pages</span></div></span><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">HashTag#Biblical
Fiction, Historical Asian Fiction, European Fiction</span></p><p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">BACK COVER: </span><b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">From
Pamela Binnings Ewen, bestselling author of <i>The Queen of Paris</i> and <i>Émilienne</i>, <i>The
Moon in the Mango Tree</i> is a lush historical novel set in the 1920s.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is a dazzling decade, and Barbara Bond is a beautiful
young singer torn between her fierce desire for independence and her deep,
abiding love for her husband, a brilliant doctor. She has trained for years to
sing grand opera, but soon after her marriage to Harvey Perkins, she learns
that he has accepted an assignment as a medical missionary in the country of
Siam. Suddenly Barbara is forced into the duty of a “good wife"—to support
her husband’s career, not her own. As resentment slowly grows, she travels with
Harvey first to the jungles of Siam, then to the capital city of Bangkok, where
he is now physician to the royal court.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As she struggles with the secrets straining their marriage,
Barbara wonders if she has made the right choice. At last, leaving her husband
in Bangkok, she flees to Paris, then Rome where she can finally sing on stage.
If Harvey loves her, the risk is worth it for a chance to have it all—her
husband and her career. Why should she be forced to choose?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And, if she chooses, must the other be lost forever?</span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher. 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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-60041560396748614902023-12-27T10:18:00.003-05:002023-12-27T10:18:37.141-05:00SAVING GRAYSON by CHRIS FABRY - REVIEWED<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg573FdJ3LAOTQkJPsjH6Bsc5Uq9I2Je-1VPoMJ4NO2f1R4FQg4pAhLpK7DHofuP-JobCCsyJcSqcQNJHUQ2YHV8X_2WQoomDOQdvA0ERahvALVQNMjMnByqGYxyCBeM5P_9I893yIoGo984-97C6xbhGa8sGDQViDIHqgAlsKX-V2iafW9q8L7kJmCkJI/s2473/Saving%20Grayson%20bc.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="1646" height="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg573FdJ3LAOTQkJPsjH6Bsc5Uq9I2Je-1VPoMJ4NO2f1R4FQg4pAhLpK7DHofuP-JobCCsyJcSqcQNJHUQ2YHV8X_2WQoomDOQdvA0ERahvALVQNMjMnByqGYxyCBeM5P_9I893yIoGo984-97C6xbhGa8sGDQViDIHqgAlsKX-V2iafW9q8L7kJmCkJI/s600/Saving%20Grayson%20bc.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE NOVEMBEER 7, 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>REVIEW: </b>Readers first encounter Grayson, who can't remember why
he's sitting in his garage with a nail gun in his hand and wearing boxer
shorts. The novel depicts the struggle for Grayson, his wife, and others who
love him in an effort to capture the stress of loving someone who is slipping
away<b>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This gripping, heartbreaking novel explores dementia and
Grayson’s last-ditch effort to solve a puzzle. I enjoyed how the author crafted
a compelling narrative that compels readers to accompany Grayson as he
investigates a murder and learns the truth about his own past. In an effort to
remember the truth, Grayson is searching for it and is trying to capture it as
quickly as possible in an attempt to remember it. Being a writer, he is
disturbed that words aren’t coming to him as easily as they used to. This creates
a compelling storyline. I was drawn to this story because it’s not your usual
tale on this topic.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I liked what the author said about his book, “My hope is
that the reader will see their own life through this story and, instead of
avoiding pain, will embrace pain as much as possible to allow God access with
his transforming power.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This is an engaging novel that deals with dementia, facing
your fears and has a mystery to solve. Grayson is a writer and is exasperated
by the fact words don’t flow through him like they used to. This aspect of the
story drew me in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Saving
Grayson</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Chris Fabry</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by Focus on the Family</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date November 7, 2023</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">272
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Contemporary Christian Fiction, Southern Fiction, Small Town, Rural Fiction,
Alzheimer</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">An
inspiring fiction story from the bestselling author of</span></b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <b><i>War
Room</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
<br />
Grayson Hayes doesn’t remember things as well as he used to, but he’s sure his
time is running out. Diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, he realizes he has
a small window of time left to right a terrible injustice―he just can’t
remember what it is.<br />
<br />
Convinced of the importance of his mission, he embarks on a journey to the
small West Virginia town of his childhood hoping he can put together the
fractured pieces of his memory and set things right. But as the past becomes more
clear, he wonders if God forgives the sins he can’t remember.<br />
<br />
A thought-provoking story with challenging themes, this book deals with issues
like<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">what
it’s like to care for a loved one with memory loss,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">how to
live when you feel like you’re losing yourself,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">what
it is that gives value to a human life, and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">the
eternal power of forgiveness and second chances.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 49.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">
</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Saving
Grayson</span></i><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> is a wrenching yet hopeful story of a journey to
right unknown wrongs and of holding on to what you know even when it feels like
everything is slipping away.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher.
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.”</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></h2>
<br />The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-80932806306318386492023-12-19T09:32:00.002-05:002023-12-27T09:46:54.306-05:00THE PEASANT KING by TESSA AFSHAR - REVIEW<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvjUuyV251_x8qENy0aCSNlf4Y83Vl5vOzlNN8_dRhwZjyOQdqBu4_Vd0I5xG1pcqlMh1UfnnJRNAqdtJRcVO6AwBZ06MoaqRl6OjwqhRuskbzQ2rWQPoeq8d5amaBmXajrNZzrObZCIIDSfx77mJB3udWNFOpnQUftRgr108LziivoVndPM19qJTQc4/s2700/The%20Peasant%20King%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvjUuyV251_x8qENy0aCSNlf4Y83Vl5vOzlNN8_dRhwZjyOQdqBu4_Vd0I5xG1pcqlMh1UfnnJRNAqdtJRcVO6AwBZ06MoaqRl6OjwqhRuskbzQ2rWQPoeq8d5amaBmXajrNZzrObZCIIDSfx77mJB3udWNFOpnQUftRgr108LziivoVndPM19qJTQc4/w426-h640/The%20Peasant%20King%20bc.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE NOVEMBER 7, 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>Readers
are taken on an exciting and unforgettable journey by this author as Jemma and
her group confront honorable warriors, face the unthinkable, and save loved
ones.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Asher
is informed about Cyrus in the Bible by the prophet Daniel during this time. For years, Keren and Jared talked about God with Cyrus in the hopes that
he might get rid of his idols. According to scripture, God set His people free
via Cyrus. I enjoyed the manner in which the author wrote this tale.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I had the feeling that I was traveling with
them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This
story builds faith and restores hope in the God who rules all nations. This author’s
writing is absorbing and pulled me in from the start. If you
haven’t read this author before, make sure you put her on your TBL for 2024.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span> </p><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Peasant King</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Tessa Afshar</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Tyndale House Publishers</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: November 7, 2023</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">384
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Biblical Fiction, Ancient Historical Fiction, Ancient Worl Historical Romance</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">BOOK
COVER: </span><span class="a-text-bold" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">Jemmah
has always thought of herself as perfectly ordinary . . . until she faces
extraordinary circumstances.</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="background: white; color: #0f1111;">
When her mother, the Persian king’s famous senior scribe, is kidnapped, Jemmah
and her sister must sneak undetected into enemy territory to rescue her. But
infiltrating their adversary’s lands proves easier than escaping them. Fleeing
through dangerous mountain passes, their survival depends on the skills of a
stranger they free from prison: a mysterious prince named Asher.<br />
<br />
Asher is not who the world believes he is. Despite his royal blood, he has had
to climb his way out of poverty to forge success from nothing. A manufacturer
of some of the best weaponry in the East, Asher has only one goal: to destroy
his father. But following his escape from prison, Asher is irresistibly drawn
to Jemmah, unaware that she guards her own secret.<br />
<br />
Jemmah must convince Asher to give up everything he has worked for, all for the
sake of a higher purpose he’s not sure he believes in. The fate of the Persian
empire―and possibly the Judean people―hang in the balance and in the persuasive
power of one ordinary woman.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by the
publisher. 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.”</span></p><p>
</p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></span></h2>
<br /><p></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-70187443982938767752023-12-19T09:04:00.004-05:002023-12-27T09:47:11.274-05:00WHAT A WAVE MUST BE by ANGELA HUNT - REVIEWED<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MJauUvhHL70fJd8yYKYaP-GPlBhyizZJ76-XxtkUQP3G2YCT_i_5hqypadX_JrjsAxqUp1FGc4CJ0V-sA7FKTov36J50bzgYZL352QeBePnc0-pHDuv6XZDs9TidC482gIyuR-3wO-JrfxGg05MFr6AVI98MDTYtekRkz6MAcG0SAiuOlzPu2wt-Z2c/s2475/What%20a%20Wave%20Must%20Be%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MJauUvhHL70fJd8yYKYaP-GPlBhyizZJ76-XxtkUQP3G2YCT_i_5hqypadX_JrjsAxqUp1FGc4CJ0V-sA7FKTov36J50bzgYZL352QeBePnc0-pHDuv6XZDs9TidC482gIyuR-3wO-JrfxGg05MFr6AVI98MDTYtekRkz6MAcG0SAiuOlzPu2wt-Z2c/w426-h640/What%20a%20Wave%20Must%20Be%20bc.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE NOVEMBER 7, 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table></span><b style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">REVIEW: </b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Trigger warning: Suicide. I knew this story would handle
the topic of suicide, but I didn’t realize the depth this author would go into
discussing this topic. The story opens with a teenage girl named Maddie who
finds her father in an unimaginable state. The family tries to handle things
the best they can until other situations happen at Maddie’s school. Things spin
out of control in Maddie and her family’s lives.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Through Maddie and her family, the author shows readers
that there is always, hope, even in the worst of circumstances. Angela tackles
a number of extremely difficult subjects and questions about suicide, such as
whether the person who commits suicide goes to hell. Where is God when
misfortunes strike? What are some compassionate ways to interact with the
family of a suicide victim in church and at school.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The novel ends in a generally positive and hopeful manner. I
have to be honest I was a little bit overwhelmed as I read about the multiple suicide
situations Maddie and her family faced in such a short time. This book isn’t
for everyone. Even though this is clearly difficult to read the author does a
great job of skillfully addressing the big issues. There are discussion
questions in the back of the book to be used in a group or your immediate
family.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What
a Wave Must Be</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Angela
Hunt</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by Focus on the Family</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: November 7, 2023</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">320
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Contemporary Christian Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Contemporary Women
Fiction, Suicide</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BACK
COVER: </span></b><b><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">From master storyteller Angela Hunt, a powerful story of a
family’s journey toward healing and hope after an unimaginable loss.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
<br />
Seventeen-year-old Maddie is left reeling after the unexpected passing of her
beloved father. No one has any idea why he betrayed them all so spectacularly,
but that’s exactly what his death feels like: a betrayal. With their world
shattered, Maddie’s grieving mother sends her to spend a few months with her
grandparents, thinking a change of scenery will do her good.<br />
<br />
Susan and Frank, Maddie’s grandparents, are heartbroken over the loss of their
son, but they welcome Maddie as an addition to their long-empty nest. Maddie
settles in and makes friends at her new school, but she still wrestles with why
her father took his own life. Then an unexpected twist throws all their lives
into fresh turmoil, testing the very fabric of their faith. How Susan helps her
granddaughter find hope, even as they both struggle with grief, makes this
touching tale of love and recovery a must-read.<br />
<br />
Contains discussion questions, making it ideal for book groups. gritty<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by <span style="background: white; color: #1d2228;">the publisher.</span> 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”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<br /></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins!<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog </span><a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</span></a></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6979453812706020935.post-14813261811085661642023-12-13T09:23:00.001-05:002023-12-13T09:23:09.923-05:00TO SPARK A MATCH by JEN TURANO - REVIEWED<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTMM40rBRvD1MZbOiMYv6wYVE3L5b4UAirQ0jnSz4CZYohQH0u-xeEOHc19-uyscV2CkgY7iK7rFP5vKVNbbANIFa1wslPi2conK-9Hs_Ux3DD7KRJQDVY6PG2Bm3_Mq6J9GhtYaTIBsrlC9PYBrXZSycL1P7ip_5yp1ZfUzYM2TZj4mQsopOHIUbcSE/s466/To%20Spark%20a%20Match%20bc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="302" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTMM40rBRvD1MZbOiMYv6wYVE3L5b4UAirQ0jnSz4CZYohQH0u-xeEOHc19-uyscV2CkgY7iK7rFP5vKVNbbANIFa1wslPi2conK-9Hs_Ux3DD7KRJQDVY6PG2Bm3_Mq6J9GhtYaTIBsrlC9PYBrXZSycL1P7ip_5yp1ZfUzYM2TZj4mQsopOHIUbcSE/w414-h640/To%20Spark%20a%20Match%20bc.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>RELEASE DATE NOVEMBER 14, 2023</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>REVIEW: </b>I
truly enjoyed getting to know Jen Turano’s charming, unforgettable characters
in her funny historical fiction novel. Jen is a master at writing humorous
historical fiction with endearing, memorable characters that try to solve a
mystery. I enjoyed a splash of romance. I love how the author makes me laugh
out loud while reading, a trait that makes me want to curl up with this entertaining
book and enter this magical world the author has created. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Adelaide had a few quirks that the wealthy
people of New York society didn’t find funny, but she immediately gained my admiration
when she pulled a book out of her handbag at a party. Adelaide is clearly a
voracious reader and wants everyone, even the cats she seems to be acquiring,
to get along. Her calm personality and gentle disposition truly charmed me. In
case you are not familiar with this author I highly recommend her novels. Be sure
to add them to your TBR and book club pick list.</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To
Spark a Match</span></b></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">By:
Jen Turano</span></b></div></b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Published
by: Bethany House</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Release
Date: November 14, 2023</span></div></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">368
Pages</span></div></span></span></h2>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">HashTag#
Christian Historical Fiction, American Historical Romance</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">BACK COVER: </span><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After five unsuccessful Seasons on the marriage mart,
Miss Adelaide Duveen has resigned herself to the notion that she's destined to
remain a spinster forever--a rather dismal prospect, but one that will allow
her to concentrate on her darling cats and books. However, when she
inadvertently stumbles upon Mr. Gideon Abbott engaged in a clandestine activity
during a dinner party, Adelaide finds herself thrust into a world of intrigue
that resembles the plots in the spy novels she devours.</span></p><span style="color: #0f1111; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">
<br />
Former intelligence agent Gideon Abbott feels responsible for Adelaide after society
threatens to banish her because of the distraction she caused to save his
investigation. Hoping to return the favor, he turns to a good friend--and one
of high society's leaders--to take Adelaide in hand and turn her fashionable.
When danger surrounds them and Adelaide finds herself a target of the criminals
in Gideon's case, the spark of love </span>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Disclosure
of Material Connection:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I requested and received a copy of this book by <span style="background: white; color: #1d2228;">the publisher.</span> 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”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Nora
St. Laurent<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">TBCN
Where Book Fun Begins! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Book Club Network blog <a href="https://psalm516.blogspot.com/">https://psalm516.blogspot.com/</a><span class="MsoHyperlink"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>The Book Club Network - TBCNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16607319515427572279noreply@blogger.com0