The Shunammite Woman: an example of hospitality, faith and hope

The Shunammite Woman is a story of a wealthy woman who was capable, generous and hospitable to the travelers who would pass by her home. She would show great kindness to one of God’s prophets. Her greatest sorrow would give rise to her greatest joy. She and her husband were childless. Unlike other childless women, i.e. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Tamar and Hannah, she seemed to be content being childless and providing for the travelers on the road. She would experience great sorrow and yet experience the depth of God’s faithfulness. Her story is told between 2 Kings 4:8-37. What is her story? How is hospitality important to her story and to us? What is the power of hope? 

A few miles north of Jezreel, a wealthy Jewish woman keeps sharp eyes on the travelers who travel the road from Nazareth to Jerusalem. Elisha, the prophet who succeeded Elijah, frequented the road outside her house. One day, she invites him to stay for a meal. She and her husband set up a small room on the roof of their home for Elisha to use whenever he was in the area. Moved by her kindness, he wanted to do something for her. Gehazi, his servant, pointed out that the couple was aging and childless. Elisha tells the woman that within a year, she will hold a son in her arms. She is shocked and refuses to hope. Yet one year later, that promise is fulfilled and she holds her son. A few years later, the boy became sick and died. The woman carried the boy to Elisha’s room, laying him on the bed and closed the door. She, then, travels to Mount Carmel, hoping to find Elisha. When she finds him, she falls to his feet and says, “Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?” (2 Kings 4:28). Elisha travels to the woman’s home and finds the boy, still and cold. He laid across the boy’s body and prayed three times. Soon, the boy’s body grew warm, his chest raised and he sneezed. Elisha returns the boy to his grateful mother. 

Hospitality played an important role in the cultures of the Middle East. Desert travel was strenuous. When travelers came to a town or village, they would wait for an invitation to rest at someone’s home. If no invitation came, they would sleep outside. Hosts were expected to feed and provide sleeping arrangements but also provide protection from robbery and harm. In the Old Testament, there are countless examples of hospitality. Abraham and the three strangers (Genesis 18:1-15), Rebekah offering water to a traveler and his camels (Genesis 24:15-21). Solomon had daily provisions for visitors (1 Kings 4:22) to list a few. In the New Testament, there are verses that remind believers to be hospitable. Romans 12:13 says to share with those in need and “practice hospitality.” My favorite verse is Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” The idea of entertaining angels is an occurrence that happened often in the Old Testament. Hospitality and entertaining is simply making others feel comfortable and at home. It doesn’t always mean to open your home; however, it could mean engaging in a conversation with the person who seems to be left out. It’s being aware of your neighbors and inviting a few, as a group or individuals, over for coffee and conversation. 

Her story is also a story of the power of hope. Did Elisha’s promise of a son reveal an unspoken hope of her heart? Did she hear about Elijah raising the son of the widow (1 Kings 17:8-24)? Did she hope for a miracle? Hope is a feeling of optimism, a desire for something good or better will happen. Isaiah 40:31 says “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” As humans, even with our strengths, we get tired. But God’s power and strength will never diminish. He will never be too tired or too busy to listen and help. His strength can be the source of our strength. In our weakest moments, we can call on, hope in the Lord and we can be renewed. One of my favorite songs that illustrates this hope and strength in God is Twila Paris’ The Warrior is A Child (1984). It is a song with a powerful imagery of a believer who is tired and runs to the Father for comfort, strength and encouragement. 1 Peter 1:3-9 talks about the living hope believers have in Jesus Christ. When someone utters “I hope so,” there’s a bit of uncertainty in that phrase. But a living hope is fertile. It is fruitful and productive. A living hope has power and produces changes in one’s life.

In conclusion, the story of the Shunammite Woman is an example of hospitality, faith and hope. She was a generous and giving woman. She was a woman who had a desire to care for others. She provided for Elisha above and beyond what was socially expected. When her son became ill and died, she turned to Elisha with faith in the hopes that God would bring him back to life. Hope is a powerful thing. It is a light in a world of darkness. It is what keeps the fight going. Believers have an eternal hope in Jesus Christ. A hope that has power and confidence. A hope that can give us strength to fight the good fight and keep going against all odds. 

The Favor: staying is dangerous but leaving could be much worse

The Favor by Nora Murphy is a domestic suspense novel in which staying is dangerous but leaving could be much worse. Leah and McKenna have never met but they lead parallel lives. On the outside, it would seem that they have it all. All the trappings of success, wealth, and marital bliss. But in fact, they are hopelessly trapped. Leah and McKenna don’t accidentally meet, discuss their common issues and devise a plan. Leah understands that what is hidden behind closed doors can be much more dangerous than outside in the real world. What is supposed to be a safe haven is actually a prison. Driving past McKenna’s house one night, Leah watches a scene she knows all too well. She watches and waits until one night, she decides to intervene. What Leah doesn’t know is that her actions will lead to a chain of events that threatens their lives and their freedom. 

With Strangers on a Train (1951) and The Girl on The Train (2015) vibes, The Favor is a gripping novel about abuse, alcoholism, as well as compassion and what happens when a woman is pushed to the limit and takes matters into their own hands. From the opening scene to the finale, this book gripped me and would not let go. It is powerful, suspenseful and horrifying as readers will witness psychological abuse and gaslighting as two controlling men break down their wives. Leah and McKenna aren’t stupid women. They are well educated with well respected jobs. And yet they are trapped. Slowly but surely, they find themselves in a prison with no hope of getting free. The Favor will keep readers on the edge of their seats as Ms. Murphy takes us back and forth from the present into the past to witness the slow descent into  abuse and the fight back. I highly recommend The Favor! 

The Favor is available May 31, 2022 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle: during desperate times, there is strength in community and individuals

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan is the story of three bold women lift the spirits of homefront brides in wartime Britain where clothes rations have put a damper on celebrations, especially weddings. When renowned fashion couturier Cressida Westcott loses her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but back to the family manor. Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled and awestruck that her famous aunt is at Aldhurst Manor. Life has been unbelievably dull as life is put on hold while the men fight overseas. But soon she is conscripted into service and her dull, boring routine is about to take an interesting turn. Grace Carlisle, the local vicar’s daughter, is trying to repair her mother’s wedding gown. When she meets Cressida at the local Sewing Circle, Grace asks for her help. Cressida is more than willing to help. Soon the Sewing Circle is motivated into action as they offer their services to help other brides. In a time of war, these women work hard to celebrate love. Can they even find it for themselves? 

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was inspired by true events as Ms. Ryan grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories about life during WWII. From the very beginning, the mood and atmosphere captured me as the British people are striving to keep a stiff upper life and to carry on. I have read many stories about WWII and this book is the first in my memory that focused on the experiences on the homefront. Cressida, Violet and Grace are three very different women who strive for similar goals: love and a life that matters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading their experiences and their strength to rise to the challenges that wartime can bring. I especially enjoyed seeing Violet’s growth from a spoiled debutante to a capable woman who underestimated her own intelligence. Ms. Ryan is a new author to me and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future. At its heart, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is about strength in community, in individuals and strength to overall life’s challenges. I thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle and highly recommend it! 

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle 

is available May 31, 2022 in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

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Gun Barons: the men, the weapons and the history

Gun Barons: The Weapons that transformed America and the Men who invented them by John Bainbridge Jr is a historical account of the evolution of firearms in the 19th century. The men whose names have become synonymous with American guns. Names like Colt, Smith & Wesson, Winchester and Remington are legendary and are a part of the American story of ingenuity. However, their beginnings and their journey into legend isn’t as well known. These men were at the right time with the inventions. From the westward expansions in the 1840s to the Civil War and into the Gilded Age and through their own trials and tribulations, bankruptcy and competition, these men became legends in the American ideal of individualism They helped bring America as one of the world’s industrial powers. Gun Barons tells the stories behind the men and the guns that made them famous. 

Gun Barons presents an interesting history and sets out to capture the boldness and ingenuity of not just these famous gun makers but the people who bought their guns as well. I found it fascinating to read the stories behind the men and their famous names. I also loved hearing about the lesser known men who helped the legends. Names like the White Brothers, Rollin, Josiah Dennis “JD” and Mason who all worked for Samuel Colt, Christopher Spencer, and John May Davies. At one point, the author presents the competition between the Henry and Spencer rifles. However, I would have appreciated pictures that showed the differences visually. As a gun novice, I do not know the differences and nuances between guns. Overall, it was an interesting read about the history of guns in America. If you are interested in the history or the evolution of guns in the 19th century, I recommend Gun Barons. 

Gun Barons: The Weapons that transformed America and the Men who invented them

is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

The Ghostwriter: where there is one last story to tell

The Ghostwriter by A.R. Torre is a story of a world famous, bestselling romance author with a deep and haunting secret. Four years ago, Helena Parks lied. She lied in front of the police, her friends and family, and told a story. Her best one yet because they all believed her. With fifteen bestsellers and millions of fans, she shouldn’t be surprised. After a terminal diagnosis, Helena has one last story to tell. The one she has been keeping secret all these years. It will have a jaw-dropping twist that no one will see coming. But she needs help. She enlists a ghostwriter. Another bestselling author, Marka Vantly. The two authors have been fierce competitors and rivals for many years. Helena feels that Marka is the only writer with the ability to capture the darkness. She may already be dying physically, but this story will be the one to kill her soul. 

From the back cover synopsis, A.R. Torre warns readers that this book “is not a romance” as A.R. Torre also writes romances under the name Alessandra Torre. It is described as suspenseful with dark secrets and wow, does it deliver! From the very beginning, Helena tells readers that they don’t know the whole story, no one really does. She is determined to reveal the truth after her death and she does it in the firm of one last book. She enlists her rival, Marka, and the two begin the process of writing her last story. The most painful and darkest story yet. Helena is a woman filled with grief, pain and guilt. She has created a harsh and eccentric façade in order to protect her secret. I enjoyed the development of her relationship with Marka. This story kept me guessing and I was on the edge of my seat until the end! I highly recommend The Ghostwriter! 

The Ghostwriter is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Wish Again: through grief and love we find the strength to wish again

Wish Again by Tammy L. Grace is the fourth book in The Wishing Tree series. Paige Duncan returned to Linden Falls after the sudden death of her husband. She sought comfort and contentment of her hometown and her beloved mother, Margot. It was to be short-lived when her mother suddenly and unexpectedly passed away in her sleep. In the midst of her grief, she struggles to keep her mother’s beloved bookstore afloat. She lost her trust in the town’s Wishing Tree long ago. After a series of one crushing blow after another, she feels she’s floundering. But soon Paige hears her mother’s voice reminding her to simply wish again. As summer turns into autumn, a series of events reminds Paige that she is stronger than she realizes and to take a chance for happiness. Will she take the chance and wish on the Tree one more time? 

Wish Again is a sweet story about grief, moving forward and finding hope and love again. I was shocked when I opened the first page to learn that Margot had passed away! Readers are introduced to Margot and her beloved bookstore in the previous books. Even after a brief introduction, I was sad to see her gone. My heart went out to Paige as she is still under the cloud of grief from her husband’s death, the clouds get darker with her mother’s sudden death. I loved Paige’s character. Even though she didn’t believe in the magic of the Wishing Tree, it didn’t stop her from granting a wish. Slowly but surely, she finds a new joy and sense of purpose. She learns that life goes on and it can get better. If you are enjoying The Wishing Tree series, I highly recommend Wish Again. 

Wish Again is available in paperback and eBook. 

If you haven’t started The Wishing Tree series,

 the first three books are available in paperback and eBook

Book 1 The Wishing Tree

 Book 2 I Wish…

Book 3 Wish You Were Here

Bloomsbury Girls: three women set out to make their way in post-war London

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner is a story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore and three women who are determined to find their way in a new, fast-changing world. Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned bookstore with new and rare books, run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules. Vivien Lowry is a single brilliant woman. She has a long list of grievances about how the store is run, many of them well justified. Grace Perkins is a married woman with two sons. She’s been working to support the family after her husband’s breakdown following the war. Evie Stone was one of the first female students to earn a degree from Cambridge. After she was denied an academic position in favor of a less accomplished male rival, she begins working at Bloomsbury Books with a mission. Together they have a plan that will shake up the literary world as they know it. 

Bloomsbury Girls is an interesting book as the characters interact with the movers and shakers of the day’s literary world. For example, Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair, the widow of George Orwell, and Peggy Guggenheim. The story started off slow and I wondered where it was going. But once Evie discovers what she is looking for, the action heats up as she realizes she is not the only one looking for this rare treasure. I cheered for the ending and it made the book worth the read and the slow build up. I thoroughly enjoyed how the women outsmarted the men to come out on top. So much for being the lesser sex! I really enjoyed that one of the general manager’s rules starts each chapter and the action of the chapter shows how the rule is implemented or even broken. If you love stories with strong women featuring books and literary giants, I recommend Bloomsbury Girls. 

Bloomsbury Girls is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook. 

Under the Southern Sky: love and family in the most unexpected places

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a story about how love and family can be found in the least expected places and in the most unconventional ways. After discovering her husband’s secret, Amelia Saxton finds herself on the verge of divorce when she finds out shocking information. As a dedicated journalist, she accidentally discovers that frozen embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer, have been deemed “abandoned” and set to be destroyed. Parker hasn’t been able to move forward since his wife died three years ago. In his grief, he had all but forgotten the frozen embryos. When Amelia reveals what she has discovered, he sees the chance to have a part of his beloved Greer back. Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia begin to find solace by the waters of their childhood home, Cape Carolina and in each other. They’ll soon discover that family, the one of birth and choice, is closer than they think. 

This book is my first one by Kristy Woodson Harvey. Under the Southern Sky is a story that tackles many deep and difficult topics: grief, cancer, infertility, and mental illness. However, Ms Woodson Harvey deals with these topics with realism, heart and no easy answers. However, I found it to be a bit predictable. And some details were incredulous and a bit eye rolling. While my heart broke for Parker and Greer, I found Amelia to be a little harder to love. At some moments I found her reactions to be justified and others I was shocked that she would be so angry and not understanding the implications of the situation. The love story between Parker and Amelia reminded me a bit of Bob and Gracie from Return to Me (2000). Overall, I enjoyed the story and was eager to see if Parker and Amelia would have their happily ever after or not. If you enjoy a love story with Southern charm, I recommend Under the Southern Sky. 

Under the Southern Sky is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

Wish You Were Here: saying goodbye

Wish You Were Here by Kay Bratt is the third book in The Wishing Tree series. Henry Harmon has been married to his bigger-than-life, talk-of-the-town wife, Greta, for more than sixty years. He began to notice differences in her behavior, when her diagnosis of Alzheimer’s comes to light, he struggles to care for her as he promised to “in sickness and in health.” But he is determined to do it alone. However, Neva Cabot won’t let Henry care for Greta alone. Even though many years she cut her friendship ties with Greta and Henry, she can’t bring herself to let Henry struggle alone. After some soul-searching, she walks in and helps Henry find ways to deal with Greta’s mood swings and slips in time. At the same time, Janie Stallard moves into town with a secret. Neva offers her a job and a place to stay at her inn. As Neva helps care for Greta, she tries to figure out why Janie is in Linden Falls. 

Wish You Were Here is another great addition to The Wishing Tree series. Kay Bratt handles the aspects of Alzheimer’s beautifully. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s before she passed away and I saw her in Greta. The slips in time, the conversations with invisible people, and even looking for people who have been long gone. Even the heartbreaking realization when Greta has a moment of clarity, knowing it wouldn’t last. I wanted to reach through the book and give Neva a big hug. Even though her heart broke many years ago, she still wanted to help. I loved the methods that Neva uses to help Greta. Janie’s story is interesting. We know she’s hiding something. Is she running from something or someone? The shocking reveal of why she is in Linden Falls was one I did not expect. I am looking forward to hearing about her story in future books. I highly recommend Wish You Were Here as well as the first two books in the series. 

Wish You Were Here is available in paperback and eBook

Come Home to Me: friendship and healing that forgiveness can bring

Come Home to Me by Liz Talley is a story of friendship and the healing that a deep heart-to-heart and forgiveness can bring. Summer Valentine returned to Moonlight, South Carolina, leaving behind her struggling music career in Nashville. Gone is the naïve wallflower who left years ago. Now with her 14-year-old son, David, Summer is a straightforward and no nonsense woman and ready to face the town that once drove her away. Summer has also returned so that her son can have a relationship with his father, Hunter “Hunt” McCroy. Someone else is back in Moonlight. Golden boy Rhett Bryan who is the talk of Hollywood especially after a tragic accident. He has come home, unsure what the next step is, he rekindles his friendship with Summer. When their relationship deepens, Summer must reveal the painful past she has been hiding. Will her revelation bring them closer or drive them apart again? 

Come Home to Me is a beautiful story with humor, tearful moments and hard topics with real to life conversations. Ms. Talley deals with the very complicated and sensitive issue of date rape and I believe she handles it beautiful. She details the societal perspectives, right or wrong, for both parties as well as a discussion on consent. I enjoyed all the characters, especially Summer and her relationships with Rhett and Hunt and even David. She is a strong woman who took the circumstances of her life and made a life. I thoroughly enjoyed Hunt’s story and his revelation about his own guilt and actions which drove Summer away. His apology was truly moving and I shed a few tears. Even Rhett’s own revelation and apology for his mistakes was incredibly moving and shows the powerful healing that forgiveness can bring. I highly recommend Come Home to Me. 

Come Home to Me is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

My Wife is Missing: a psychological thriller that asks who can you trust and what is even real?

My Wife is Missing by DJ Palmer is a psychological thriller when a woman disappears with her two children and her husband desperate to find them will do everything he can- even reveal the secrets he’s been hiding. A family vacation to New York City turns into a nightmare when Michael Hart discovers his wife, Natalie and their two children, Addie and Bryce, missing from their hotel room. Fearing they’ve been kidnapped, he frantically searches the hotel and calls the police. When security footage reveals that Natalie left willingly, the question becomes why? Natalie thinks she has Michael figured out and has hatched a plan to escape him. But her insomnia makes it difficult to trust what she knows and even what she sees. Are her fears and concerns valid? Will she escape Michael? Or is there an even greater danger she doesn’t consider? 

WOW! DJ Palmer has done it again! He has become a master of the psychological thriller. Stories that will keep the readers on their toes! With a man keeping secrets and a woman who suffers from hallucinations due to a lack of sleep, Michael and Natalie become characters readers won’t be sure who to trust and even ask what is real? Every character who crosses their paths may have agendas of their own but can they be trusted? My wife is Missing is a story that will keep readers guessing and even when you think you have it all figured out, DJ Palmer pulls the rug and reveals another twist. The beginning was a bit slow and reminded me of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl (2012) but Mr. Palmer has a much exciting story to tell. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, I highly recommend My Wife is Missing! 

My Wife is Missing is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

Such Big Dreams: breaking free and living life on your own terms

Such Big Dreams by Reema Patel is a  story of a savvy former child of the street who discovers a chance to live her life on her own terms. Rakhi is a twenty-three year old who is haunted by the grisly events that led to the loss of her best friend. She is constantly reminded that she doesn’t belong, that she is a charity case as she lives in a Mumbai slum and works as a lowly office assistant for Justice for All, a struggling human rights organization. Hidden behind her façade hides a fierce intelligence and sharp wit with an even sharper tongue, Rakhi doesn’t allow anyone to play her for a fool. She knows that everyone underestimates her until a new intern enters the office. Alex Lalwani-Diamond is the family friend of Rubina Mansoor, a fading former Bollywood starlet. Alex is Indian-Canadian on his way to Harvard for graduate school. Ambitious, persistent and a bit naïve, Alex convinces Rakhi to show him the “real India,” which seems harmless at first. As Rakhi’s past and her aspirations collide, she comes face to face with difficult choices and the moral compromises that one often makes in order to survive. 

Such Big Dreams is the debut moral of Reema Patel. A moving story of survival and the cost of one’s ambition and power. Ms. Patel’s descriptions are powerful and honest as she reveals the different sides, the different “classes” of India. She peels back the hypocrisy of the rich who build luxurious mansions on the land of former slums and then gets on a soapbox about affordable housing and the state of the people in the slums. I thoroughly enjoyed Rakhi’s character, a young woman who lived a hard life that was not of her choosing. I couldn’t imagine being a seven year old and surviving on the streets and yet that’s where Rakhi’s story begins. She is a survivor and I hoped and cheered her on as she tries to rise above her lot in life and works for a better life rather than resolve that she was born there and would probably die there. The author’s note after the story adds to the emotional power of the story’s events. My one complaint is the author’s use of Indian words and phrases without an indication of the translations or meanings. Overall, I enjoyed Such Big Dreams and highly recommend it. 

Such Big Dreams is available May 10, 2022 in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

The Bronte Sisters: an in depth and fresh perspective on the famous literary sisters

The Bronte Sisters: Life, Loss and Literature by Catherine Rayner is an in depth and fresh perspective on the famous sisters and their family. With timeless classics like Jane Eyre (1847), Wuthering Heights (1847), and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Charlotte, Emily and Anne were a talented, trailblazing trio whose stories have continued to haunt readers and academics for over 175 years. These fictional masterpieces are recognized as landmarks of English Literature today but they caused a sensation and even some controversy due to their subject matters and unconventional styles. What is the story of these women? What were the influences and forces that drove their storytelling? From early childhood in the quiet Yorkshire village of Haworth, literature and world events were held in high esteem in the Bronte household, they began to create stories from an early age. But their lives would be filled with tragedy and devastating loss and they would pour their doubts, fears and grief into their stories. They would tackle taboo subjects of Victorian society: divorce, child abuse, bigamy, domestic violence, class, female depression and mental illness.

I have been a fan of the Bronte sisters since reading Wuthering Heights in high school. I have always been curious about their lives and inspirations and like to read as much as I can about these women. In The Bronte Sisters, Catherine Rayner analyzes every aspect of the Bronte family and era to find the clues to these remarkable women. From their father’s humble beginnings in northeastern Ireland to Cambridge University and becoming a well-respected clergy. Even from their isolation on the English moors, the sisters were well aware of and well versed in current events and from their travels, they saw first hand some of the darker areas of the celebrated Victorian Age. Fueled by their strong Christian morals, they set out to expose these dark injustices. While reading the chapters in which Ms. Rayner discusses each books’ history, inspiration, symbols and themes, I was inspired to reread these books with a new perspective and insight. If you love the Bronte sisters and their works or just want to know more about these amazing sisters, I highly recommend The Bronte Sisters. 

The Bronte Sisters: Life, Loss and Literature is available in paperback and eBook

As Time Unfolds: how can our family heritage influence our life paths?

As Time Unfolds by Barbara Zerfoss is the story of one woman’s search for her family’s history and lessons learned that can help save a life. Bethany Miller’s life is on the fast track as she is the CEO and owner of an advertising agency when it comes to a halt with a surprising phone call. She has inherited an ancestral home from the biological mother she never knew. Unsure what to do, she visits the home in Jameson, Virginia. Inside the grandfather clock known as The Timekeeper, Bethany discovers a treasured family journal. In it, generations of first daughters wrote one entry, sharing family secrets, chronicling a courageous life in challenging times and words of wisdom for the next generation of daughters. Reading these women’s stories, Bethany takes the chance to reassess her life moving forward. When an alarming encounter with one young girl’s soul piercing eyes keeps haunting her thoughts, Bethany senses a pull to help. But how? Can the stories of her maternal ancestors give her the strength and courage to fight for someone else? Even if it comes at a personal cost? 

As Time Unfolds is a story that dragged in the beginning and picked up at the halfway point. The connections between Bethany, her family’s legacy and the young missing girl isn’t made until the end. However, there was enough pull and intrigue to keep the reader looking for the connection. I enjoyed the story of Bethany discovering her family heritage more than the connection with the missing girl. I also enjoyed the grandfather clock. The Timekeeper was the silent character that stood watch as a guard and a guide. Although the issue of human trafficking is an important and current crisis, I felt it didn’t quite fit. The two stories didn’t quite mesh. There was also a lot of repeating information. At one point, Bethany finds newspaper articles that just rehash information that is revealed in the journal entries. It would have been possible to introduce the articles without doing another information dump to rehash information the reader already knows. Overall, I enjoyed As Time Unfolds for its story of courageous women from the past that informs and molds the courageous acts of today. I recommend As Time Unfolds. 

As Time Unfolds is available in paperback and eBook

Desert Flowers: what secrets are hidden deep in the middle of nowhere?

Desert Flowers by Paul Pen and translated by Simon Bruni is the story of one family living deep in the Baja California desert with a dark secret. Rose and Elmer have created life for themselves and their five daughters out in the middle of nowhere. They are cut off from all of modern society. They will preserve their way of life and their secret at all costs. It all seems to be working until one day when a young hiker named Rick knocks on their front door. He needs a place to stay, just for the night he says. But it’s long enough for Rose and Elmer to realize they made a horrible mistake. The longer Rick stays, the more intrusive and suspicious he becomes. What they don’t know is that Rick has a secret too. Soon, the family sanctuary won’t be a warm and inviting place anymore. It will become dark and cold as the desert nights. What will happen when their secrets are revealed? 

Paul Pen writes unusual stories which look deeper into the human psyche and behaviors they will do in order to protect themselves and their secrets. After reading Pen’s Light of the Fireflies, I had an idea of the type of story I was getting myself into. Desert Flowers is a very haunting, twisted story which leaves no happy ending. On the surface, the family seems to be happy at their desert hideaway. It is only with the appearance of the handsome stranger does the family start to show their cracks and their unhappiness. There were a few characters I liked but there were many characters that broke my heart especially Melissa, the 13-year-old, middle daughter. It is a book I enjoyed reading as it kept my attention but it is a hard story to recommend. It is not light or easy to read. It is a story where the lines are blurred between heroes and villains. If you enjoy dark, twisted stories, I recommend Desert Flowers. 

Desert Flowers is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook