"Everything is Just Beginning, " by Erin Bartels

"Everything is Just Beginning, " by Erin Bartels

When guitarist Michael Sullivan gets kicked out of his band (and his apartment), landing a record deal seems an impossible dream. And nothing about Michael's prospects points toward a better future. Until the invitation for a swanky New Year's Eve party shows up in the mailbox. It's addressed to his uncle, with whom he shares both name and living space, but his uncle is going out of town . . .

On the effervescent night of December 31, 1989--as the Berlin Wall is coming down, the Soviet Union is falling apart, and anything seems possible--Michael will cross paths with the accomplished and enigmatic young heir to a fading musical dynasty, forever altering both of their futures.

I honestly had no idea what to expect with this book.  I almost didn't choose it to review; but decided to give it a go.  I read the first couple of chapters and even thought, no this one isn't for me, but decided to read a couple more chapters.  I am so glad I did, because this book turned into quite the page turner.  I had to know what happened next.  I sat up late one night reading half the book, then picked it back up the next morning and didn't move until I had finished the book.

What a talented writer Erin is, I was impressed with all the song lyrics she wrote in the book.  They help the storyline in a way of getting into Michael and Natalie's head.  This book is about moving forward, forgiving past grievances and knowing what you want in life.  It's set in a time where people are not glued to their electronic devices and they have to communicate!

Stars out of 5 : 4.5 It took me a couple of chapters to get sucked into the storyline, but once I was in, I was in too stay.  There could be a part two to this story in my opinion, as there is plenty of stories that could be told about Michael and Natalie; but where it left off was in my mind perfect.  

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell , a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"The Rose and the Thistle," by Laura Frantz

"The Rose and the Thistle," by Laura Frantz

In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Blythe quietly awaits the crowning of a new king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with her maid in tow. He has his own problems--a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.

In this whirlwind of intrigue, ambitions, and shifting alliances, Blythe yearns for someone she can trust. But the same forces that draw her and Everard together also threaten to tear them apart.

I love a book with a lot of history to it, especially British history.  The detail in this book is exceptional.  It is well researched. The unrest in Scotland and England was so well written, you could clearly imagine it.  Having to choose between, politics and religion. and the one you love makes for a very interesting story.

Blythe's character was a perfect contrast to Everard; her being the rose, him being the thistle.  All the Hume brother's were perfect in their own ways, but I fell in love with little Orin, such a character.  The brother's could have a book written about each of them.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  If you love historical fiction with a side of romance, this is the book for you.  Looking forward to reading more of Laura's books.

 "Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell , a division of Baker Publishing Group".

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken

 "The Memory Keeper of Kyiv" by Erin Litteken

In 1929, Katya is 16 years old, surrounded by family and in love with the boy next door. When Stalin’s activists arrive in her village, it’s just a few, a little pressure to join the collective. But soon neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain.

Resistance has a price, and as desperate hunger grips the countryside, survival seems more a dream than a possibility. But, even in the darkest times, love beckons.

Seventy years later, a young widow discovers her grandmother’s journal, one that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her family’s haunted past.

This book is one of those books where you need to know what happens next.  It really is a page turner. Each chapter jumps between the 1930's, which is about Katya and her family; and to the early 2003/2004 and Cassie, Katya's grand daughter.

I learned such a lot from this book.  I had never heard of Holodomor in the Ukraine and now what is happening in Ukraine with the Russian invasion; it must all feel like some sort of a bad dream for the people of Ukraine.  The author's notes are very interesting and should be read.

It really is very thought provoking and is a good read.  What those poor people went through in the 1930's beggar's belief.  The strength of character on the survivors is unbelievable. 

Stars out of 5 : 5  I couldn't put this book down.  It's a must read, especially in light of what is going on in the Ukraine right now

"The Blackout Book Club," by Amy Lynn Green

 "The Blackout Book Club," by Amy Lynn Green

In 1942, an impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different--a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, an exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they have more in common than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.

This book starts out quite slow to my mind, but the more you read the more you grow to love it and get sucked into the story.  The four main characters are so different but what brings them together is the book club.  As their stories unfold and intertwine you get more invested into each of them.  

I loved reading the "book club's minutes" from the meetings, so refreshing and you felt as though you were there at each meeting.  If I had to pick a favourite character it was Ginny; so strong but very vulnerable at the same time.  Mind you all the characters showed their stronger sides throughout the book.  There were a couple of surprises along the way that kept the story interesting.

The author's notes at the end of the book are well worth reading.  The books that the book club "read," is also listed at the end of the book, which I thought was a nice thing to add.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  Had trouble again getting sucked into the story, but once that happened this book is a real winner and well worth the read.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"The Premonition at Withers Farm," by Jaime Jo Wright

 "The Premonition at Withers Farm," by Jaime Jo Wright

The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

In the present day, Molly Wasziak's life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?

First let me say Jaime Jo's books are not those easy read books where you can be thinking of other things while reading the book.  This book takes up all your concentration while reading it.  I found it a hard book to get into to start with and I had to have been at least a third of the way through before I got to the stage where I needed to know what happens next.  It is however worth while sticking with it, as once you get all the characters sorted out in your mind, things will fall together.

As this book bounces back and forward between two main characters and two different times it does make it a little complicated.  There are many twists and turns along the way and the surprise near the end makes it so worth while.  A regular who done it that spans many, many years.  It has it's light hearted moments; and I especially loved the character Sid for that.

Stars out of 5 : 4 Jaime Jo write such good books, but I always have a super hard time getting drawn into them.  You might have an easier time.  I am glad I read this one though; as once I get drawn in I never want to leave!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Where the Blue Sky Begins," by Katie Powner

 "Where the Blue Sky Begins," by Katie Powner

Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.

When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle's financial company, he's determined to exceed everyone's expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.

At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.

After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?

This book took me a little time to get into it; and honestly I wasn't totally convinced to start with that I would.  However, by the time I was a quarter of the way through it, the story took over and I did enjoy it.  As it says above Eunice is terminally ill, so it's no surprise she dies.  What is a surprise is how Eric and Eunice's friendship develops and how they come to rely on one another.  They need one another and they learn from one another.

It takes a skilled writer to write this type of story that creeps up on you without you knowing. There are a couple of twists in this book, and a couple of surprises that catch you unaware.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5  This is a book you have to work at in the beginning but once you get hooked it is totally worth it.  Everything and everyone is not always what they seem on the surface, which was true in this book and true in life.  Well done Katie.  This is the first book I have read by Katie and will look out for more of her books.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

"Targeted," by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Natalie Walters

"Targeted," by Lynette Eason, Lynn H. Blackburn, Natalie Walters

Three women. Three men. Three unsuspecting targets.

Get ready for triple the thrills with three heart-stopping stories from your favorite romantic suspense authors!

In On the Run, IT Specialist Daria Nevsky is a highly skilled FBI agent with the ability to hack any computer. She must go on the run to find out who wants her dead--and Dr. Ryker Donahue refuses to let her do it alone.

In Deadly Objective, physical therapist Emily Dixon and Secret Service Agent Liam Harper are committed to keeping their relationship professional. But when the vice president's son enters the crosshairs of a killer, some lines will have to be crossed in order to keep him safe.

In Caught in the Crosshairs, there is no love lost between former Army PSYOPS officer Ari Blackman and CIA officer Claudia Gallegos after Claudia is implicated in the murder of a Saudi prince. But to prevent a coup that would put America at risk, they'll have to learn to trust each other--before it's too late.

If you don't have time to read a book, but enjoy reading, this book is perfect for you.  As they are Novellas, they are "mini-books" that take a fraction of the time to read, but still give you the full effect of a regular novel.  Each one packs a punch in their own way.  Each one take's you through a roller coaster of emotions and each one had me sitting on the edge of my chair at times.  All were so good in their own way.  If I had to pick a favourite, it would the first one "One the Run," by Lynette.  However, I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

Stars out of 5 : 5 this book would make a perfect gift for a book lover, as it gives you a taste of how each author writes.  Hands down one of the best books I have read in a while.  A real gem!

 "Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell , a division of Baker Publishing Group".