The Devoted: one woman's journey to fight for her freedom

The Devoted by Catherine Cho is a story of family and fate. As a young Korean woman whose father is a leader in an infamous crime organization. When she becomes entangled in their dangerous world, she fights to break free. Eunha was raised in Hong Kong by her grandmother, along with her brother, Solomon, in a quiet village. Their father is a Dragon Head within the Triads. Eunha is shielded from the violence and fear and her only companions are her brother and their friend, Kai. When she grows up and marries into a respectable Hong Kong family, her world begins to fall apart when her young son is kidnapped. In her desperate search for him, Eunha finds herself in the criminal underground and face to face with Kai, who is now a Dragon Head himself. Does Eunha give into the life she tried so hard to leave?

The Devoted is the debut novel by Catherine Cho. It is a mystery thriller filled with family drama, forbidden love and one woman’s determination to choose her own destiny. As I started this story, I was captivated by Eunha’s story as she recounts her past and battles the present for her son and her future. However, it felt as if Eunha was telling us what happened rather than readers experiencing it with her. I expected more suspense, more violence and more of a fight from Eunha. Overall, I am torn by this story. It is well written, beautifully lyrical. I liked Eunha. I liked that it was a different story of underground organized crime; however, it did not have the thrilling action that I expected. That being said, I may not have been the audience for this book. If you enjoy crime mystery thrillers, I recommend checking out The Devoted. 

The Devoted is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Orphan's Island: a young girl's journey to America and a new beginning

The Orphan’s Island is the first book in the Amherst Island series by Kate Hewitt. In 1904, Ellen Copley arrived in America from Glasgow with her father after the death of her mother. They crossed the ocean with dreams and hopes of new beginnings. After joining her Uncle Hamish and Aunt Ruth in Vermont, her father leaves to find work leaving Ellen feeling alone and uncertain of her future. It wouldn’t be until her Aunt Rose needs her assistance with her family on Amherst Island where Ellen finally finds love and acceptance with her cousins as well as Jed and Lucas Lyman, the boys next door. Lucas becomes a friend and confidante but it is Jed who steals her heart. But will Jed love her back? While Amherst Island feels like home, will Ellen find her heart and future there as well? 

Kate Hewitt is a new author to me and I was intrigued by Ellen’s story as a young girl new to America and finding her place in her new country. The Orphan’s Island is a fast paced read and I was glued to the page and Ellen’s story. There was drama between Ellen and her Aunt Ruth, squabbles with her new friends and the highs and lows of first loves. In her young years, Ellen finds the strength and courage to find a path that she would be able to support herself with the uncertainty of what her true dreams could be. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to the rest of the series and Ellen’s story. If you enjoy historical novels of hope and finding a place in a new world, I recommend The Orphan’s Island. 

The Orphan’s Island is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Bookbinder's Secret: one book's secret and one woman's journey to discover it

The Bookbinder’s Secret by A.D. Bell is a story of how one book tells a secret and one woman’s journey to discover it. Lillian “Lily” Delaney is an apprentice to a master bookbinder in Oxford in 1901 and feels trapped. Trapped by her father’s failing bookshop. Trapped by still being an apprentice. When she is given a burned book by a book collector, where she finds something hidden binding, a letter speaking of love, fortune, and murder. Lilly is pulled into a mystery of young lovers, forbidden love, and discovers there are more books with more hidden secrets. She quickly becomes obsessed with the story and that obsession becomes dangerous. She discovers someone is looking for the same books and is ready to kill for them. As she searches, sinister forces are closing in and her life begins to fall apart, she must decide if the truth is worth her life. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is a slow moving train at first as Lilly discovers the hidden letter. As she innocently searches for the truth, she doesn’t realize she is being watched until it is too late. The train speeds up and I was hooked as Lilly is determined to find the truth, find the individuals in the letter, solve the mystery and restore her life as best she can. I loved the look into bookbinding and the cutthroat business of book collecting. The pieces to the mystery were intriguing as well. There is a cast of unsavory characters whom Lilly must trust despite the danger she is in and the reveal of who is behind it all was a shocker! Overall, I enjoyed this story and when I closed the book I sat in awe at the twists and turns. If you enjoy historical fiction with a mystery, I highly recommend The Bookbinder’s Secret. 

The Bookbinder’s Secret is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Hope's Way: a journey of grief can transform one woman's life

Hope’s Way is the first book in the Hope series by David Johnson. Hope Rodriquez is about to face a journey that will transform her life. She becomes pregnant at 15, then loses her parents in a tragic accident. Fearing that she will lose custody of her child, she leaves her Kentucky small town to New York City. There she is faced with the harsh realities of public housing and scraping by as a single mother. She manages to build a life and raise her daughter. However, Hope is plunged into tragedy once again as her teenage daughter decides to take her own life. In the depths of grief, Hope is determined to find the reasons behind her daughter’s decision. Along the way, she meets Michael, a charismatic preacher, who awakens emotions in her that she did not know she could feel again. Can she find solace with her daughter’s decision? 

With the book’s synopsis, I expected an amazing emotional journey that tackles heavy topics. And it was filled with the heavy topics and I’m sure the emotional journey was intended; however, I was taken away from the journey with the glaring mistakes. Right off the bat, from the opening chapter, Hope is described as a 36 year old woman with a 16 year old daughter, Lisa. The next chapter takes the reader back in time when Hope is 15 and seven months pregnant. So, the math is off as Hope would be 31/32 when Lisa is 16 years old. That mistake took me out of the story. Unfortunately, I feel I missed the impact the book’s emotional story should have had. Overall, I was disappointed with this story. I will not continue with this series. I do not recommend Hope’s Way. 

Hope’s Way is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Good Dirt: one woman's emotional journey into the past to find her future

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson is the story of one woman’s journey to piece together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom and finds herself in the process. When Ebby Freeman was ten years old, a gunshot shattered her family and a priceless heirloom as her beloved brother, Baz, lying on the floor and the centuries old jar in pieces next to him. As the case goes unsolved, it remains a point of interest for the public as the Freemans are one of the only Black families in a very well-to-do neighborhood of New England. As Ebby’s fiancé leaves her at the altar, the family’s history is once again a source of public talk. To escape the scrutiny and heal her wounded heart, Ebby flees to France. As she begins to process her family’s suffering and her own heartache, she discovers the key to her future is in the handcrafted pottery, brought North by an enslaved ancestor. 

After reading Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson’s beautiful debut, I knew I was in for an emotional journey with the characters of Good Dirt. And Good Dirt did not disappoint. Without knowing the full history of the jar, my heart broke when I read how it shattered and it broke more as the stories involving the jar were revealed. I loved how Ebby finds her future in the stories of her family’s past and finds strength of her ancestors within herself. Ms Wilkerson beautifully tackles grief, racism, the importance of our ancestries, mental health and trauma. I especially loved her portrayal of how deep and complex grief can be even years after the events. Good Dirt has a bit of mystery woven with history, romance and drama. It is a book that you will need to take your time reading, especially after the highly emotional chapters, in order to really absorb and digest what happened. I highly recommend Good Dirt. 

Good Dirt is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Where We Belong: the power of friendship and the courage to pursue one's dreams

Where We Belong is the first book in Kellie Coates Gilbert’s new Teton Mountain series. Charlie Grace Rivers is a divorced mother who works hard on the family ranch and juggles with small town life in Thunder Mountain, Wyoming. In a gusty movie, she decides to create the Teton Trails Guest Ranch where tourists come and see a working ranch and the beauty of Wyoming. Only her grouchy father seems to question every decision and oversteps when he hires her cheating ex-husband, Gibbs, to work on the ranch. With the support of her three best friends, Charlie Grace takes each challenge head on. When Nick Thatcher, one of her first guests, catches her eye, she can’t help but think there is a chance for love again. However, there is a problem. Nick is a part of the production team for a television show being filmed nearby and won’t be staying. 

A heartwarming journey of the courage to start over, with the power of friendship and the dreams of something more, Where We Belong is an incredible story of one woman’s journey to buck all expectations and follow her heart. Charlie Grace is a woman who is not afraid of hard work and is determined to make her new dream a financial reality, regardless of the opposition she gets. Relatable and inspiring, Charlie Grace is a character worthy to root for. I loved her friends. Capri, Reva and Lila, all who have their own issues and struggles and yet are there at the drop of a hat for each other. There is plenty of drama as a community member throws her weight around and I loved the scene where she gets shot down. The romance between Charlie Grace and Nick is sweet. If you love stories of community, friendship and pursuing one’s dreams, I highly recommend Where We Belong. 

Where We Belong is available in paperback and eBook

The Art of Inheriting Secrets: one woman's journey into her mother's past

The Art of Inheriting Secrets by Barbara O’Neal is a story of discovery of a loved one’s past holds the key to one’s future. After the sudden death of her mother, Olivia Shaw learns she has inherited an English estate and the title of countess. With grief still raw and her head swimming with so many questions, Olivia leaves her home in San Francisco and heads to England, unsure what she will find but determined to unravel her mother’s secrets. Once in England, Olivia learns that Rosemere Priory, a magnificent estate, is in desperate need of repair and holds the secrets to her mother’s past. With personal issues and a job back home needing her attention, Olivia can’t help but fall in love with the English village, its residents and Rosemere itself. Will she return to San Francisco? Will she stay in England? Will Olivia finally understand why her mother kept it all a secret?

The Art of Inheriting Secrets is a great story of a woman’s discovery of her mother’s past and finding a future she didn’t know she wanted. However, where the story fails is that it leaves too many loose ends. The story builds up to this great mystery as to why her mother left and never told her about her life in England. The author is great with the descriptions and yet poor at unfolding the mystery to a satisfying end. The end felt rushed and left me asking WHAT? As I closed the final chapter. I still had questions. The writing is beautiful. I truly felt as if I could experience the weather of the English countryside. The author’s descriptions of the food truly made me hungry! There is a romance aspect that was beautiful and added to the tension. Overall, I did enjoy the story, despite the unsatisfying ending. I recommend The Art of Inheriting Secrets. 

The Art of Inheriting Secrets is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

When We Were Widows: a story of mothers and daughters and the journey of grief

When We Were Widows by Annette Chavez Macias is a story of grief, secrets and the power in moving forward. When her husband passed away six months ago, Yesica Diaz-Taylor thought she was handling her grief well; however an incident at work forces her to think twice. Her boss forces her to take a leave of absence and attend a support group, Yesica decides to just go through the motions, anything to get back to work. What she wasn’t expecting was that her widowed mother, Ana, and her grandmother, Mama Melda, needed to stay with her as their house was being repaired. The arrangement will test their already strained relationship. With unresolved tensions following them, Yesica, Ana and Imelda learn to share a home, their heartbreak and finally reveal the family secrets in order to overcome their grief, anger and find a new strength. 

When We Were Widows is a heartfelt story about grief; however, it is also about mothers and daughters and the secrets they keep from each other. At the beginning of the story, Yesica was not my favorite character. I found her to be too harsh and cruel. However, I grew to love her as she began to reveal her secrets and talk about the hurts she has been hiding. Yesica also learns that she and her mother have a lot more in common than she thought. I also enjoyed Ana’s transformation to finding her life in pursuing a dream long put aside. I loved Mama Melda as the wise grandmother who bridges mother and daughter together with tough love and a few laughs. The three women are surrounded by wonderful characters who help them on their new paths. I highly recommend When We Were Widows. 

When We Were Widows is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

North to Paradise: one man's journey to a better life

North to Paradise: A Memoir by Ousman Umar is one man’s journey from a rural village in Ghana to the streets of Barcelona. Ousman Umar is the son of the village shaman. When his mother dies giving him birth, a tribal tradition would have him abandoned as he was considered to be born under a curse. However, his father intervenes. He spent his childhood working the fields, setting traps in the jungle and living off the land. When he sees the strange but wondrous flying machines fly across the sky, he begins to dream of a different life. At twelve years old, he leaves his home and begins a journey to Europe. A journey that would take five years! Traveling through three different cultures, three different realities, from the Ghanaian jungle to the Arab world to Spain, Ousman encountered violence, exploitation and racism. He also found friendship, generosity and hope. It is a story of extraordinary resilience, the beauty of kindness and the power of giving back. 

North to Paradise is the inspiring, emotional and somber true story of Ousman Umar’s journey toward a better life. Once in Barcelona and achieving all he wanted, he couldn’t help but remember those he left behind. He then was determined to give back to his home village and help better their lives in any way he could. His descriptions of his experiences on his journey were heartstopping and heartbreaking. It’s hard to admire such tenacity and determination when most would have given up. The prologue states that a group of 46 started for Paradise, the Promised Land and near the end, only 6 survived! Mr. Umar states that given his experiences it would be easy to think of people as bad but with the goodness he has received, he likes to believe that most people are good, “It’s just that the good people make less noise.” How very true! I highly recommend North to Paradise. 

North to Paradise is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Beautiful Little Things: one family's journey through loss and grief

The Beautiful Little Things by Melissa Hill is a story of sisters, torn by grief, finding a way to rediscover joy. The family home in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains has always a welcome escape. Romy Moore cherishes the warm embrace her family gives as she starts her career at the bottom of the London publishing ladder. Her mother, Cathy, has always been her biggest supporter as she chased her dreams. When her mother dies after a sudden illness, Romy feels adrift. Joanna has always been ambitious, coolheaded with her act together. But after the birth of her twin daughters and the death of her mother, she finds herself questioning what she wants anymore. When Romy discovers her mother’s journals, she realizes that her mother left behind precious words of wisdom to spark life back into the family and face a future without her. 

The Beautiful Little Things is a story of grief and finding a way to move forward. The synopsis spoke to me as a moving story and I was eager to read it. Unfortunately, the story dragged on. It switched first person narrators between Romy and Joanna with very little indication of the switch. It was confusing and often headache inducing. Other than stating Dublin Mountains, which I had to google where they are located, there was no indication where this story took place in Ireland. A story of grief can happen anywhere; however, this story didn’t feel like Ireland. Overall, the story fell flat for me and it wasn’t the story I thought it was going to be. I was bored half the time. The parts I did enjoy were the mother’s journal entries. However, if you are intrigued by the story, I recommend checking out The Beautiful Little Things. 

The Beautiful Little Things is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Night Travelers: Four Women, Four Different Times in History, One Journey

The Night Travelers by Armando Lucas Correa is a historical fiction which features four generations of women and three time periods as they experience love, loss and hope. The story begins in Berlin, 1931 as the rise of Nazism sweeps through Germany, Ally Keller gives birth to a mixed-race daughter, Lilith and hides her from the world. When time runs out, Ally puts together a desperate plan to save her daughter’s life. Havana, 1958, Lilith is now an adult, finds herself excited for her future with her husband, Martin. As the fires of revolution grow, Lilith finds herself facing an impossible choice, as her own mother did, in order to save her own daughter, Nadine.  Berlin, 1989 as the Berlin Wall falls, Nadine is now a dedicated scientist who has spent her life avoiding the truth about her family. When her own daughter, Luna, begins to uncover the family history, it will be Luna faced with an uncomfortable truth in their family’s past and their place in history.  

The Night Travelers is my first book by Armando Lucas Correa. I can see why he has a reputation for sweeping historical fiction with depth of the human stories we often forget. It is a story about four women, separated by time but united by sacrifice. They each embark on journeys of self-discovery which is forged by the power of a mother’s love. It is a wonderful story of the interconnectedness of history and that history is more than just dates and events. It is the individuals who lived and sacrificed during troubling times. It is also a story that details the disgusting things people have inflicted on others and if we are not careful, we will repeat the same. Overall, I enjoyed The Night Travelers. It is the type of historical fiction which leads one to further research events in more depth than what is highlighted in the story. To me, that is a feature of great historical fiction. I highly recommend The Night Travelers. 

The Night Travelers is available in hardcover

The Taste of Ginger: one's journey to find home

The Taste of Ginger by Mansi Shah is a story of one woman’s journey to find where she is truly home. Preeti Desai, a first-generation immigrant, hasn’t lived the life her parents mapped out for her. She seemingly bucked every tradition her parents hold dear. She was barely on speaking terms with her parents when she moved in with her white Christian American boyfriend. Even after the relationship ends, the only thing she has going for her is her prestigious career at a Los Angeles law firm. When a family tragedy brings her back to the city of her birth, she learns more about the complicated past that her parents left behind and their reasons for moving to America. As she realizes the family’s battles with class, tradition and sacrifice, will she discover what home truly means? 

It’s not good when my first thought after finishing a book is “I really wanted to like this story.” It came so highly recommended that I was looking forward to it. However, Preeti is such an unlikable character with no redeeming qualities or even growth. She whines about everything! She is selfish, immature and self-absorbed. There are pages and pages where Preeti is essentially arguing with herself. The internal monologues were way too often. It was hard to believe she was supposed to be a professional woman of 30 and not a teenager. The story overexplains just about everything that it felt like a condescending lecture, especially about the cultural differences between America and India. The author wasn’t nice about either culture. It’s hard to say but I do not recommend The Taste of Ginger. 

The Taste of Ginger is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Empire of Ice and Stone: the ill-fated arctic expedition and the two men who would define it.

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk by Buddy Levy is the true and harrowing story of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition and the two men who would define it. It was the summer of 1913 when Captain Bob Bartlett, the world’s greatest living ice navigator, took the wooden-hulled Karluk and its crew to the Arctic Ocean. The expedition was fueled by the flamboyant Vihjalmur Stefansson, a man who had vision, ambition and hunger for fame. After six weeks, giant ice formed about the ship, trapping her and her crew, Stefansson would leave for a hunting trip, only to never return. Twenty-two men and an Inuit woman with two small daughters were left on board. They would look to Captain Bartlett and his leadership for their survival. He would make a difficult and courageous decision. Would his plan work? Will they survive the harsh Polar environment? 

I don’t know much about the expeditions to the icy regions of Earth but I have heard of some of the men made famous from these adventures. The expedition of the Karluk and the men in charge was a story I hadn’t heard before. Set at a time of great expeditions and discoveries, as well as historical events like the Titanic disaster and World War I, Empire of Ice and Stone is the story of two men and their very different leadership ideas. One would be selfless, the other self-serving. One would be remembered as a hero and the other would be vilified. From bad decisions and hurried organization, in the search for fame and glory,  the journey of the Karluk and her crew were truly doomed from the start. Empire of Ice and Stone is a very interesting historical book filled with the words of the men who were there. I highly recommend Empire of Ice and Stone. 

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk 

is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

A Welcome Misfortune: a story of survival and courage

A Welcome Misfortune is the first book in The Sworn Sisters duology by Kay Bratt. An infant girl was born into the House of Lai, a middle-class Chinese family. She is torn from her mother and casted aside by her father. Declared a misfortune, she is to be left by the famous Chaozhou wall where many unwanted girls are abandoned to be picked up by someone else or, worse, to die. But when 18-year old Min Kao is urged by his desperate mother to see the baby girl to safety, he can’t help but be drawn to his little sister he names Luli. At the same time on the island of Hong Kong, in the affluent house of a scholar, Sun Ling and Jingwei, are indentured servants and sworn sisters, bound by their shared struggles. They find their window to escape from the hardship and abuse and board a ship board for San Francisco, California. When the paths of these three forgotten girls meet on the ship, together they will weather a treacherous journey with the hopes that they will find a better future in America. 

A Welcome Misfortune weaves an incredible story of survival and courage. Ms. Bratt is a master storyteller who brings hard hitting truth and heart to her stories. I thoroughly enjoyed her Scavenger's Daughters series and eagerly looked forward to the Sworn Sisters duology. The story opens with a bang and does not let go as Luli, Min Kao, Sun Ling and Jingwei begin their journeys to a better life. Even as they make their way to freedom, they must make life and death decisions with not so savory options. The discrimination and mistreatment they face simply because they are women and in America, because they are Chinese is horrifying. Despite this treatment, they hold to their dream of a better life than the one they left behind. They strive to show their worth and value in a world that would overlook them. There was one revelation that I had an inkling that would happen. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t cry tears of joy when it happened. If you enjoy an historical immigrant story of strength, courage and endurance, I highly recommend A Welcome Misfortune. 

A Welcome Misfortune is available in paperback and eBook

The Ride of Her Life: an enjoyable and inspirational story

The Ride of Her Life by Elizabeth Letts is the triumphant true story of a woman who rode her horse across America in the 1950s, fueled by her dying wish to see the Pacific Ocean. In 1954, 63-year-old Maine farmer Annie Wilkins lost her farm and her doctor had given 2-4 years to live. She has always longed to see the Pacific Ocean before she died. Ignoring her doctor’s advice, she buys a cast-off brown gelding named Tarzan, gathers her dog, Depeche Toi, and heads south in mid-November 1954. Annie didn’t know what to expect as she traveled, she didn’t even have a map but she had an unfailing belief that Americans would treat a stranger with kindness. As she traveled America in an age that saw the construction of modern highways, she pushed through blizzards, forded rivers and climbed mountains. She would travel more than 4,000 miles, through the biggest cities and the smallest towns. She met ordinary people and celebrities who followed her story with interest and inspiring neighborly kindness. 

I never heard of Annie Wilkins and her journey to California, so when I was offered a chance to read The Ride of Her Life, I was intrigued. The author, Ms Letts, weaves Annie’s story with the changing of 1950s America. The Ride of Her Life is an amazing and inspirational story. In a country with the growing influence of television, she didn’t own one. In the growing age of the automobile, she desired to complete her journey by horse. I don’t know if I would have had the strength and courage to travel across the nation as Annie did, even with the comfort and speed of a car, the journey is dangerous. Every step of the way, the readers are riding along Annie as she braves the new roads with cars speeding past and she trods along on horseback. There were moments of triumph and moments of tears. I eagerly turned each page, waiting and hoping that Annie survives her trip and makes it to the Pacific Ocean. I recommend The Ride of Her Life. 

The Ride of Her Life is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook. 

Into the Blue: the emotional journey of healing and coming to terms with the past

 Into the Blue is the third and final book in Kay Bratt’s By The Sea series. Jules Monroe is a woman who isn’t afraid of hard work and, with dedication, has built a life for herself and her family. Now in her late fifties, she continues to give selflessly to her husband, her kids, her grandchildren as well as their family owned business and community. But everything comes to a halt when her body seemingly tells her enough and she must allow her mind and body the rest it desperately needs. Her oldest son, Jonah, is a veteran who continues to be haunted by a childhood tragedy in which the family lost their beloved Nama. When his sister, Kira, goes missing, Jonah must rely on the kindness of strangers to help find her. A beautiful paradise, Maui is also a place where ancient superstitions threaten to rob the Monroe family yet again of their happiness and their future. Will they be able to finally put the island spirits to rest and repair the damage done? 

The By The Sea series has been an emotional journey and Into the Blue is the final emotional battle before we say goodbye to the Monroe family and their community on the beautiful Maui. It is a beautiful story of healing. Healing from the physical, the spiritual and the emotional scars of the past and present. It is a story of family and coming together in good times and in emergencies. It was great to see all the characters from the first two books and see how they have come together as family and friends. I loved that Jules discovers to find the miracles out the tragedies. To see the renewal and growth after the hardships and heartache. It is hard to say goodbye to the Monroe family and the magical paradise where they live. But Into the Blue is a fitting and satisfying ending to a wonderful series. I highly recommend Into the Blue as well as the first two books of the series, True to Me and No Place Too Far. 

Into the Blue will be available in paperback and eBook on March 19, 2021

True to Me and No Place Too Far are available now in paperback and eBook

Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood: a great resource for moms, dads, and guardians

Parents usually worry about everything when it comes to their children. From basic care to discipline, parents are always worrying about doing the right thing. However, nothing scares parents more than “The Talk.” A thousand question swirling around their head. When do I open the conversation? How do I start? How much information to I tell them? How much information too much too soon? Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood: A Guide for Moms by Robin Jones Gunn is a mentoring book which gets down to the heart level of the mother-daughter relationship as they move into the next stage of their lives: adolescence. Drawing from her own experience with her daughter, Rachel, as well as stories from other mothers and daughters, Ms. Jones Gunn provides inspiration for each mother to tailor this journey to each unique mother-daughter relationship. As she states, “You aren’t just having ‘the talk.’ You’re starting the conversation.” It is the moment to celebrate our daughters as they blossom into the women God created them to be.

I have been a fan of Robin Jones Gunn’s books since I was a teenager. I grew up many with many of her books including the Christy Miller series as well as the Sierra Jensen series. With two daughters myself, 8 and 2 years old, I knew that I wanted to have a different conversation than I had with my mom. So, I began preparing around my oldest daughter’s birthday. Researching the topic and trying to figure out the questions swirling in my head. When I heard that Ms. Jones Gunn was writing a book for moms on this very topic, I eagerly awaited it’s arrival. The book itself isn’t very long about 180 pages and a quick read but it is filled with ideas and inspiration to guide me and my daughters on this journey. It is not a strict how to, do A, B, C, it is a guide to help you tailor this journey to your daughter’s personality and interests. I highly recommend Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood.

 

Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood is available in paperback

The Grumble Free Year: One family's journey to help others be grumble free

The Grumble Free Year: Twelve months, eleven family members and one impossible goal by Tricia Goyer is her family’s journey to attempt to grumble less and praise more. Before they set off on this seemingly impossible journey, Tricia and her husband, John, promise their kids that if they can achieve this goal, the family will go on a cruise. Their ten children agree to give it a try. The book is twenty chapters, separating into three parts: Gearing Up, The Challenge Begins, and Winding Down, Tricia Goyer details their planning, their successes as well as their failures and where the ideas need to be thrown out, added new ideas or improved upon original ones. At the end of each chapter, there are three Reflection Questions in which the reader can reflect on the topics discussed in each chapter and find the areas that need more attention or improvement. There is also a My Turn section in which the reader can apply the Grumble Free technique to their own journey. Using personal stories and well as relevant Bible verses, Tricia Goyer guides the reader to a grumble free year and beyond.

I was invited to become a member of the Grumble Free Year Launch team. Since I review books on a regular basis, I joined even though I was unfamiliar with Ms. Goyer’s work. I was curious about what this journey would be about. As I began, I was intrigued by her story as her younger children come to their family through adoption and the challenges they faced as the children were older adoptees. At the end of each chapter, I would thoughtfully answer the Reflection Questions and I begin to see where I could change my grumbly ways. Some of the challenges and methods do not apply to me…yet as my children are only 7 years old and 13 months. However, I now have a tool at my disposal in order to face those future grumble years by getting to the root of the grumbles. The Grumble Free Year is a wonderful book with heartfelt, personal and honest stories that shows that the goal of being grumble free isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. This book helped me realize where I am already working on my grumbling and the areas where I still need work. It is a book I will be visiting again and again as I need it. I highly recommend The Grumble Free Year.

The Grumble Free Year:

Twelve months, eleven family members, and one impossible goal

will be available November 5, 2019

in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Beekeeper of Aleppo: heartbreaking story of loss and love

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri is the story of Nuri Ibrahim, a Syrian refugee in England. He and his wife, Afra are trying to claim asylum. As they go through the process, Nuri recalls his life in Syria as a beekeeper with his cousin, Mustafa and the turning point when his beloved country was no longer safe for him or Afra. Mustafa journeys ahead to England and eagerly waits for him there. The story switches back and forth between the present day in England and Nuri’s recounting their journey as refugees. From being smuggled out of the country under the darkness of night to being held as a camp in Greece while their request is processed. Nuri sees the different people who are running from horrors in their home countries. He hears the stories of the horrors they each suffered. He even witnesses horrors himself inside the camp. Will they be safe once again? Will Nuri and Afra be granted asylum? Will they be reunited with Mustafa?

The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a beautiful story of the human suffering that the political warfare creates. A man who lived a simple life finds himself running for his life because he refused to take up arms. He is a man who is battling his own demons and memories as he tries to take care of his wife in a country which looks at them with suspicion. It is a book that needs to read slowly as you take in the scene, the situation and the actions the characters take as they try to survive. According to the author’s afterword, she was inspired to write this story after she was a volunteer at a UNICEF refugee center. Ms. Lefteri truly compares the desperation of the situation as well as the faint sliver of hope that they can live in peace once again. I highly recommend The Beekeeper of Aleppo!

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

Tell No One: a story of discovering the truth, secrets and moving on

Tell No One by Barbara Taylor Sissel is the story of one woman’s determination to find her father and one man’s desperate attempts to keep dark secrets hidden. Caroline Hoffman Corbett is searching for her father, Garrett “Hoff” Hoffman at the request of her dying aunt. They became estranged 30 years ago and her father suddenly vanished. No one has had contact with him since. As she tracks down people who knew her dad, she discovers the man beyond the father she knew. She learns that there are some people who may not want her father to be found. At the same time, Harris Fenton is a man with deep, dark secrets that he is desperate to keep hidden. His life is falling apart around him as he struggles to keep his secrets and keep his family together. As their stories grow closer together, Caroline and Harris must face the truth about the past. Will Caroline find her father? Will Harris be able to continue to hide his secrets? Or will the truth force itself to be told?

Tell No One is a riveting story of one woman’s search at all cost. Caroline is a great character who battles her own regret and anger toward her father as she tries to grant her aunt’s wish. When she learns disturbing information about her father, she must put the two images of the man together: one is the father she knew and loved and the man everyone else knew. Harris is a man battling chronic pain and deeper demons. The story switches back and forth between Caroline and Harris, as I read, I was wondered how these two people were related and when it was finally revealed, I gasped in surprise! I also enjoyed the realism in Caroline's responses as she learns information about her dad which challenged the image she had of him. I was hooked from the opening chapter to the final sentence. I highly recommend Tell No One.

Tell No One

will be released May 14, 2019

in paperback, eBook and audiobook