Dorcas: an example of faithful discipleship and the power of God

Dorcas, also known as Tabitha, is a woman from Joppa, a town on the Mediterranean coast, about thirty five miles northwest of Jerusalem. She belonged to one of the earliest Christian congregations and was called a disciple for her practical works of mercy. Dorcas’ greatest joy was to serve Jesus by serving the poor, especially the widows. Her story is told in seven short verses in Acts and yet so impactful. She had fallen gravely ill and lay dead as Peter had been summoned to her home. What happens next is an amazing act of God for his glory. 

The body of the disciple Dorcas lay dead as the ladies prepared her body for burial. The people of Joppa asked Peter to come as they wanted him to know of her faithfulness to Jesus and his commands. When Peter approached the house, the cries of mourning were loud and clear. He cleared the room as he prepared to pray at her bedside. As he prayed, Peter remembered when Jesus healed the daughter of Jairus, a synagogue leader (Mark 5:21-24, 35-42). He remembered Jesus’s words, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12). Peter then commanded Dorcas to get up and she rose from the bed! Many people would believe in the Lord as they had seen Dorcas alive once again (Acts 9:42). 

Dorcas is the only woman honored with the title of disciple in the Scriptures. Disciple is from verbs meaning “to learn” or “to follow.” The word is used 284 times and almost exclusively to name someone who follows Jesus. To be a disciple has two main requirements. First, a disciple is a learner. Second, a disciple is a follower. Not just a physical follower like the apostles were but to adopt the views and ways of life of Jesus as believers after his death and resurrection. Dorcas embodied this role. She learned of Jesus, decided to follow him and adopted his views and way of life. She lovingly and tirelessly executed his commands by taking care of the poor. Her devotion is recorded in simple words. Peter was shown by the widows “the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them” (Acts 9:39). 

Dorcas’s story is an example of our acts, big and small, can be done for the glory of God. Proverbs 14:31 says “He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.” God is glorified, not only in her resurrection but through her acts of kindness, her generosity and her willingness to go out of her way to help others. Making clothes for others can be a great noticeable act to bring glory to God. However, small and unnoticed acts can also bring glory. For example, if you lovingly give someone your last $5, so they can eat, it brings glory to God. It may seem small to you, but it was huge to the person who received the money and it will be amazing in the eyes of God. He will be glorified through any act of love and obedience. 

In conclusion, Dorcas was a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. She spent her time making robes and clothing for the poor. Unfortunately, she became ill and died. After prayer, Peter called to her to rise and she was resurrected! Through her resurrection, more people in Joppa came to believe. She is more than a resurrection story. She is an example of a disciple who learned from and applied the teachings of Christ. Through her acts of discipleship, God was glorified. In everything we do, with our words, every day, when we model Jesus’s love, we can bring glory to God. 

Brooklyn: a captivating, powerful story with gritty realism

Brooklyn by Tracy Brown is a story of a master manipulator and serial survivor who will destroy anything in her path in order to get what she wants. The story opens with a murder and Brooklyn Melody James leaves behind a web of lies, heartache, and betrayal. As her life slips away, she recalls the events that brought her there. Brooklyn learned the art of the hustle of her parents, who used the church to get money and she is determined to be the type of woman who lives by her own rules. After one explosive fight with her parents, she runs away to New York City. There, she charms her way into the inner circle of hustlers and picks up the necessary tricks of the trade. With an inflated ego, ambition and ruthlessness, she leaves a trail of burned bridges and broken hearts. Little does she know that her reign of terror is about to end; but the question isn’t who will do it, it’s who wouldn’t? 

Brooklyn is the third book I have read and reviewed for Tracy Brown and I think this one is my favorite. I devoured this book in two days. I was hooked from the opening chapter and I could not put it down. It was captivating from the beginning with its powerful story with its heartbreaking grittiness and realism. At first, Brooklyn was easy to sympathize with as she realizes the facade her family puts up is all a front but as she goes from group of friends to group of friends, her behavior and lack of remorse is heartbreaking. Even at points when it seems she is turning a new leaf and getting on the straight and narrow, her selfishness rears its ugly head. The identity of her killer was a shocker! Sadly, Ms Brown passed away before this book was published but I hope she knew how impactful her stories have been for me and millions of other readers. I highly, highly recommend Brooklyn! 

Brooklyn is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Witch of Tin Mountain: a fight against evil and ending a curse over a mountain town

The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy is a suspense story as something wicked comes to a Depression-era Arkansas mountain town. It’s 1931, Gracelynn Doherty lives peacefully with Granny and her adoptive family. Despite whispers and rumors that the women in her family are witches, the locals still seek them out for cures. Cures for everything from arthritis, stomach ailments and even broken hearts. It all starts to change when evangelist healer Josiah Bellflower comes to town touting miraculous healing, the town becomes enthralled and Granny in fear. Granny recognizes Bellflower as she made a terrible promise fifty years ago and he has returned to collect. As Granny falls ill and the mountain falls into a drought, Gracelynn learns of a curse that came over the mountain a hundred years ago. Can Gracelynn find a way to rid the town of this evil once and for all? 

The Witch of Tin Mountain has a gorgeous cover and an interesting premise. I was hooked from the open chapter and eagerly looked for clues to who or what this evil was that stalked Granny and now Gracelynn. The story was very interesting, mixing the gothic, mystical and supernatural in a haunting story of resilience and survival. There were aspects of the story that I felt were not necessary. At some points, the story ignored the main conflict of the evil Josiah Bellflower and focused on the sexual lives of the two main characters and other social issues that didn’t fit in the overall story. It simply overflowed the story with too much. The timelines jumped between 1931, 1881 and 1831 too quickly. There were moments I rolled my eyes. Overall, I was able to finish it; however, it is not a book I would read again. 

The Witch of Tin Mountain is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Trouble With You: one woman's choice between playing it safe and risking it all

The Trouble With You by Ellen Feldman is a story of a young woman in post WWII New York City when she is faced with the choice between playing it safe and risking everything for what is right. As the fighting men are coming home from war, the country is on a high note and settling into the life of marriage, family and a booming economy. In an instant, the rosy future of Fanny Fabricant was turned upside down. Educated for a career as a wife and mother, she is torn between being the “nice girl” like her cousin Mimi and being the rebel like her Aunt Rose. Fanny takes a job in radio serials and forges friendships with an actress and a man who writes the series and comes face-to-face with the blacklist and McCarthyism. Will she follow her heart or will she allow societal norms to dictate her actions? 

I thoroughly enjoy Ellen Feldman’s stories as she writes about the stories in the aftermath of war, a time most stories gloss over or forget. The Trouble With You features a scary time in the United States as the Cold War begins to heat up and the fear of communism is everywhere and the one man leading the charge. It is an interesting story; however, I would have liked to see and feel more of the impact of the blacklist and the panic going on with McCarthyism. It was talked about but I feel it didn’t quite come across as how much of an impact the Hollywood blacklist had spread. I enjoyed Fanny as she struggles with her choices. Overall, I enjoyed The Trouble With You  and I look forward to reading more stories from Ms. Feldman. If you are interested in stories of life after the war, I recommend The Trouble With You. 

The Trouble With You is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Guest: a psychological thriller with so much going on

The Guest is the newest psychological thriller by B.A. Paris. Iris and Gabriel seem to have it all. A beautiful home, a successful daughter and good friends with Laure and Pierre from Paris. It all starts to come tumbling down with one tragic accident when a young man dies in a nearby quarry. Gabriel found him and called for help and heard the young man’s final words, leaving Gabriel with a heavy burden. Soon after, their friend, Laure, becomes their guest. Laure seems to make herself a little too comfortable as she begins to wear Iris’s clothes, following her every movie and asking questions. Then a new couple moves into the neighborhood with their gardener with a checkered past. 

Psychological thrillers by B.A. Paris are intense. However, The Guest had so much going on that it was confusing and boring. The story just dragged from the opening prologue. I failed to see the connections, despite the epilogue that wrapped everything up, I was confused and had no sympathy for any of the characters especially after finishing the epilogue. Like what?!?!?. The new neighbors didn’t seem to fit into the story and their gardener? Confusing. I also did not like that the story told what happened. Overall, I usually love B.A. Paris and her psychological thrillers, unfortunately, The Guest did not live up to its premise. 

The Guest is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Rebel: secrets, family trouble and enemies to lovers

The Rebel by Jennifer Bernard is the first book in The Rockwell Legacy series. Deep in the Cascade Mountains, the Rockwell family has been running the historic Rocky Peak Lodge for generations. The lodge and its legacy is a risk. Kai Rockwell is the oldest and always the rebel. He left home when he was 18 and would rather die than deal with his father, “Mad Max” Rockwell. Now fifteen years later, he’s being called home as his father has a health scare and the lodge needs a lot of help. All Nurse Nicole Davidson wanted security for her and her disabled sister. When the job as an in-home nurse for Max Rockwell comes up, she is recruited to do a little intel for her friend’s investment group. No problem until Kai comes home and everything is thrown into a chaos. Kai and Nicole are equally determined to protect their families, they aren’t sure if they are enemies or lovers. 

The opening chapter of The Rebel hooked me in and let me down from there. I’m not really sure why but the story fell flat. There were a lot of secrets that the characters hinted at but took forever to reveal them. By then, I didn’t care what the secrets were. I did enjoy Kai’s character and despite his vow to never to return, he couldn’t truly abandon his home. I didn’t care for Nicole’s friend who was so pushy that I wanted to yell. Nicole giving her information about the lodge was plausible but her friend’s demands were way out of line. The introductions of Kai’s siblings didn’t heighten my interest enough to read the rest of the series. It is not my favorite by Ms. Bernard and I have loved the books I’ve read by her so far. Overall, I just didn’t care for the romance between Kai and Nicole. 

The Rebel is available in paperback and eBook

Insects, Ivy and Investigations: personal turmoil and murder

Insects, Ivy and Investigations by Tonya Kappes is the seventeenth book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mystery series. More turmoil for Mae as Alicia Becker shows up at The Milkery door. Beaten, bruised and openly hostile toward Mae, Alicia was one of Mary Elizabeth’s foster children after Mae left town. Mae is immediately suspicious of Alicia and when she is found over the dead body of Craig Sutton, her suspicions rise even more. Craig Sutton is the ex-boyfriend of Alicia. Why was he in Normal? Did Alicia kill him or is Alicia being set up? Despite her misgivings, Mae and the Laundry Ladies set out to solve this case. 

Wow! Mae is dealing with a lot in this story. First, the open hostility from Alicia and her questionable motives for being in Normal. And second, her relationship with Hank is at a crossroads. She is unsure where they’ll end up. Then add a murder investigations which will affect them all. At the beginning, I was irritated with Mae’s attitude but by the end of the book, my heart was breaking for her. I’m looking forward to seeing how her relationship with Hank plays out and their future in Normal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries, I recommend Insects, Ivy and Investigations and the rest of the Camper and Criminals series. 

Insects, Ivy and Investigations is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Stationmaster's Cottage: can a family mystery heal the past and shape the future?

The Stationmaster’s Cottage by Phillipa Nefri Clark is the first in the River’s End series. Christie Ryan loves her life, so she tells herself. She has built a great career and loves her city apartment and her ambitious fiancé, Derek. Christie learns that her grandmother, Dorothy Ryan, has passed away. She heads to River’s End to attend the funeral and check out the rundown cottage she has inherited. While there, she makes a discovery and starts to put together a family puzzle that began fifty years ago. What she uncovers will change her life forever and she begins to acknowledge that what she really wants is a simpler life with a family, a garden and a home to heal her heart. Will it be with Derek or in River’s End? 

Wow! What a story! Set in Australia and told between the present day of 2016 and 1967 in the past, The Stationmaster’s Cottage takes readers on a journey of self-discovery, secrets, betrayal and healing. I loved every moment of this story and eagerly read into each clue, trying to figure out the mystery. There were many, many surprises that I wasn’t expecting and even gasped at one reveal. I eagerly read well into the night, not willing to put it down until all the pieces were in place. I loved Christie and cheered as she began to stand up for herself and speak up for what she wanted in life. There are a great cast of characters that I hope to see in the rest of the series. I highly recommend The Stationmaster’s Cottage. 

The Stationmaster’s Cottage is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Valentine Bride: two scheming old women play matchmaker

Valentine Bride by Shanna Hatfield is the first book in the Holiday Brides series. Fynlee Dale returns to Holiday to take care of her wacky grandmother, Matilda. Although it means putting her dreams aside for now, she needs to be there for Grams as she was there for Fynlee. Carson Ford vows to take care of his elderly aunt, Ruth, after buying her ranch, the Flying B. Suddenly a plot is afoot as the two old women become matchmakers and scheme to help Fynlee and Carson fall in love. Little do they know, but there is a monkey wrench thrown into their plans when Carson’s “fiancée” shows up at the ranch. Will Fynlee and Carson see they are truly meant for each other? Or will they be torn apart? 

Valentine Bride is a funny, sweet, clean romance novella. With a wonderful cast of characters, there is no shortage of laughter and a dose of drama. Carson and Fynlee are great together. Grams is a wonderfully eccentric free spirit. This story is a fast read as I was not able to put it down. I knew Carson and Fynlee would end up together. It is a romance novel after all. However, I needed to know how they finally admit their feelings and deal with the interfering “fiancée.” I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy clean romances with sweet moments, funny antics and a dose of drama, I highly recommend Valentine Bride. 

Valentine Bride is available in paperback and eBook

The Women: one woman's story in a war the country wanted to forget

The Women by Kristin Hannah is one woman’s story as she goes to war and must fight to have her and other women’s contributions in the war recognized. Twenty year old Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a nursing student who wants to make her family proud. So proud to be worthy of the heroes wall which serves as a memorial to the war heroes in the McGrath family. Someone tells her that even women can be heroes which brings a revelation, she will take her nursing skills to the war effort. She joins the Army Nurse Corps and she is not prepared for what she will encounter. With the help of her fellow nurses, Ethel and Barb, Frankie sees firsthand the chaos and destruction of war, the gamble of life and death. Little does she know that the war is just beginning as she heads home and finds a country even more divided, angry protesters as her contributions are essentially forgotten. 

I have loved Kristin Hannah’s stories since I first picked up Firefly Lane (2008). The Women is a hard hitting, gut wrenching, emotional story that shines a light on the women who put their lives on the line to serve their country only to have their country deny they were even there. It is a story of friendships and courage under fire. Part 1 focuses on the war itself as Frankie is not prepared for the carnage. It is emotional and heartbreaking, filled with moments of gasps and plenty of tears. Part 2 focuses on her return home and her struggles to return to civilian life. I was shocked to learn that for the longest time, no one knew or no one would acknowledge that women served in Vietnam. It pains me to know that the male veterans were vilified and yet the women were ignored and forgotten. Overall, The Women is another amazing story from Kristin Hannah. I highly, highly recommend it. 

The Women is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Tempting Heat: two former friends, one blizzard and forced proximity

Tempting Heat by Sara Whitney is the prequel novella to the Cinnamon Roll Alphas series. Tom Castle and Fiona “Finn” Casey were friends in high school. Until one incident tore their friendship apart. Finn now thinks Tom is her enemy. Little does she know that he has loved her for years. A series of events has led to them being trapped together in her apartment. Now he has the opportunity to tell her the truth, but will she listen? Finn is horrified and furious. The memories are still very painful and she does her best to ignore him. But there is very little room for that and when the power goes out, she realizes they need each other to survive the frigid night. 

Tempting Heat is so much fun! It is a sweet, sexy story with great banter. All the great features readers want in a romance. I loved Finn and Tom together. Their chemistry is so good and it was a hard story to put down. There is a little spice but nothing too outrageous. There are more tender, sigh-inducing moments that will melt any heart and bring a smile to readers’ faces. Add a sassy roommate and an overprotective brother and there are great humorous moments. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you love second chance romances with a little spice, I highly recommend Tempting Heat. 

Tempting Heat is available in paperback and eBook

Set the Night on Fire: a sweet enemies to lovers romance with emotions and a tad bit spicy

Set the Night on Fire by Jennifer Bernard is the first book of the Jupiter Point Firefighters series. Hotshot firefighter Sean Marcus left Jupiter Point in disgrace but after a near death experience in a flashover, he is coming home to clear his name. He is the man in charge of setting up the new Jupiter Point Hotshots wildfire crew. Sean is determined to prove he is no longer the troubled boy who left town thirteen years ago. Evie McGraw is the town sweetheart with a secret. She has never spoken about that night and Sean is the only one who knows what happened that night. Now that Sean is back in town and Brian White, the hometown golden boy, is seeking a political endorsement, that terrible night is constantly on her mind. Now Evie is at a crossroad. Keep silent and live life as she always had. Or stand up and speak out and find a future she always thought was just a dream. 

Set the Night on Fire is more than an enemy to lovers romance. It is sweet, emotional and a tad bit spicy. I loved the growth of Evie as she must confront a past she would rather forget. As someone who also avoids confrontation when possible, I felt her internal struggle deeply. However, I cheered her on as she found the strength and courage to stand up and speak out. Sean is also a character with deep emotional wounds from the past and finds himself fighting the ghost he left in Jupiter Point. Their romance was a slow burn as they healed together and by the end, I was smiling and cheering for them. I loved Evie and Sean together. I also enjoyed the side characters who will no doubt have their own romances in the series. Overall, I loved Set the Night on Fire and I will be continuing the series in the future. I highly recommend Set the Night on Fire. 

Set the Night on Fire is available in paperback and eBook

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook: a mix of fact, fiction and an urban legend

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook by Ellen Marie Wiseman is a story that mixes fact, fiction and an urban legend about the Willowbrook State School, a real-life institution. 1971, sixteen year old Sage Winters is on a mission. She was told her twin sister, Rosemary, died from pneumonia six years ago, only to discover that she was committed to the Willowbrook State School and was there until a few days ago when Rosemary suddenly went missing. Sage now wants answers. Rumors and urban legends surround the school that many people stayed clear but Sage ignores them all. A series of events leads her to be mistaken for the missing Rosemary, Sage finds herself locked inside the ward and about to learn the horrendous secrets within the walls of Willowbrook. Will she be able to escape? Will she find Rosemary alive? 

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook has been widely recommended and praised. I was intrigued by a story featuring a real time institution when such institutions were known for horrible treatments of patients. Unfortunately, that intrigue quickly faded as I started the book. The first chapter threw a bunch of information at the reader and I was trying to keep everything straight and Sage wasn’t even at the school yet. I commend Ms Wiseman for bringing this story to light. Before this book, I hadn’t heard of Willowbrook and did a bit more research. Overall, I did not enjoy this story. There was too much internal rambling by Sage. The addition of Cropsey, a real life serial killer in the Willowbrook area, didn’t quite fit in. Unfortunately, The Lost Girls of Willowbrook wasn’t sure if it wanted to be a historical fiction or a thriller. 

The Lost Girls of Willowbrook is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

. . .

Paddlers, Poison and Promises: a murder investigations with political intrigue.

Paddlers, Poison and Promises by Tonya Kappes is the sixteenth book in the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mysteries series. Realtor Chelsea O’Connell is not a popular person in Normal. She is helping bring more development to the Daniel Boone National Park when the residents don’t want it and aren’t happy. So when she is found dead, there is no shortage of suspects. Rumors swirl of affairs, feuds and backdoor deals only adds to the suspect list. On top of a murder investigation, Detective Hank Sharp has concerns about the department cuts and possibly outsourcing his job. As Mae and her Laundry Club Ladies begin their investigations, Mae is unsure if they should get involved or let Hank solve it on his own in order to prove his worth to the department? 

This series has been fun, enjoyable reads. However, Paddlers, Poison and Promises fell a little flat. It was hard to get into this mystery and the rest of the story. First, character information changed from previous books to this one. Second, a character’s name changes from one name to another by the end. Third, the issue with the department and Hank’s job wasn’t really flushed out and the story ended on a cliffhanger, leaving the resolution for a future book. Overall, the story was a good addition to the series but didn’t have the same feel as the previous books. I hope this isn’t the standard for future books. If you have enjoyed the Campers and Criminals Cozy Mysteries series, you may enjoy Paddlers, Poison and Promises. 

Paddles, Poison and Promises is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Cupcake Cottage: a sweet and fun friends to lovers romance

The Cupcake Cottage by Jean Oram is the first book in the Hockey Sweethearts series. Maverick Blades could have any woman he wants. Handsome, talented and labeled a bad boy. However, the one woman he wants is off limits because, you know, the bro code. Daisy-Mae Ray is the ex-girlfriend of his best friend and most likely would want to stay away from a guy like him. Little does he know that she has harbored a long time crush for him. Daisy-Mae knows Maverick doesn’t deserve the reputation but how to help everyone see him as the man she knows he is? After joking about faking dating her to help his image, Daisy Mae finds herself in the middle of a publicity stunt. Can this fake relationship turn into something real or will her heart be broken? 

The Cupcake Cottage is a sweet, fun romance. I loved Daisy-Mae and Maverick from the beginning. Two people who are attracted to each other but stay apart because of some rules or boundaries that just don’t exist. I loved that they were longtime friends and felt comfortable with each other. The banter between them was highly enjoyable. As their romance became real, it was really heartwarming and sweet. I smiled as they began to open up to their true feelings. I’m not a hockey fan but the story gives enough hints to get the feel for the game for fans and non-fans alike. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Daisy-Mae and Maverick’s romance. It flowed at a great pace and it was fast paced. If you enjoy fun, sweet sport romances, I highly recommend The Cupcake Cottage. 

The Cupcake Cottage is available in paperback and eBook