The Space Between Words by Michele Phoenix

Michele Phoenix

ISBN: 9780718086442

Publisher's Synopsis:

"There were seconds, when I woke, when the world felt unshrouded. Then memory returned."

When Jessica regains consciousness in a French hospital on the day after the Paris attacks, all she can think of is fleeing the site of the horror she survived. But Patrick, the steadfast friend who hasn't left her side, urges her to reconsider her decision. Worn down by his insistence, she reluctantly agrees to follow through with the trip they'd planned before the tragedy.

"The pages found you," Patrick whispered.

"Now you need to figure out what they're trying to say."

During a stop at a country flea market, Jessica finds a faded document concealed in an antique. As new friends help her to translate the archaic French, they uncover the story of Adeline Baillard, a young woman who lived centuries before--her faith condemned, her life endangered, her community decimated by the Huguenot persecution.

"I write for our descendants, for those who will not understand the cost of our survival."

Determined to learn the Baillard family's fate, Jessica retraces their flight from France to England, spurred on by a need she doesn't understand. Could this stranger who lived three hundred years before hold the key to Jessica's survival?

"... my life may end today.

Or it may stretch its final throes into another dawn.

Existence is a flimsy thing.

I savor its fragility with every breath I take." 

MrsK's Review:

In 1695, Adeline and her family must flee once again. Her Grandfather's words were once again ringing true. She was taught to tell "God's story well." Honesty, nobility, and strength were the measure of life.

"Paris in November," should have been a season in which there is a glimmer of hope, new discoveries, and some days to travel. For Jessica, those days would be a painful path of recovery. With her friends, Patrick and Vonda, Denver would be a past life and France would not be the adventure she had envisioned.

Patrick has a passion for life, for "picking," and for traveling the French countryside. His "Grab a shovel and believe in gold," proved to be always infectious causing Jessica to swap out her plans and embark on quests in promising places. 

Vonda may be younger, bolder, and unbridled in her determination to live life to the fullest. The trip to France meant freedom to grab all of the opportunities that any young heart could desire. Her request to change their evening plans and "live a little," would bring about a change that wasn't on their itinerary.

Once Jessica realizes that the horror of the shooting was real, instead of returning home to Denver, she follows Patrick's lead into the countryside as a "healing" pathway. Vonda returns home and Jessica relinquishes her desire to flee France. With Patrick's insistence, Jessica follows her instincts to continue their treasure hunting plans.

In a beautiful village in southern France, Jessica becomes charmed by the owners of the cottage in which Patrick had their B&B reservation. Grant, Mona, and Connor become the balm for the healing that Jessica will require. Days after the shooting, on a treasure hunt in a "ramshackle" barn. Patrick leads Jessica to the discovery of an old map, a bible, and a dark walnut sewing box. Hidden within the box is a small notebook. It will be this discovery that creates a distraction from the pain of the shooting. Given a new quest, coupled with the support from Grant and Mona, as well as the truth of Connor's observation, Adeline's story will finally be revealed.

What began as an endearing friendship and love story, erupts in a mysterious quest to help Adeline's story to reach her descendants. Life can take many twists and turns. What becomes an opportunity to bring closure to someone else will have a mutual blessing of healing for those willing to move beyond tragedy. Engagement in the life of these characters doesn't seem adequate in expressing the profound crafting of this story. Enmeshment is not an eloquent "enough" term for the depth in which you will experience Jessica's healing. What could be discovered is a story entrusted for your sharing!

Hope grows and healing begins once you open the covers of this story,
MrsK

"The pages found you... Now you need to figure out what 

they're trying to say."

A story of two women in differing times and cultures.
A story entrusted for sharing!

Meet the Author:

  Raised in France by a Canadian father and an American mother, Michèle is a mentor, author and speaker with international sensitivities. She taught for twenty years at Black Forest Academy (Germany) before launching her own work as an advocate for Third Culture Kids. She now travels globally to consult and teach on topics related to this unique people group. She loves good conversations, mischievous students and Marvel movies.

"I received this book from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Coming to Rosemont by Barbara Hinske

Barbara Hinske

ISBN: 9781481125277

Publisher's Synopsis:

Forensic accountant Maggie Martin's well-ordered life is shattered by her husband's untimely death and the double life he concealed. Dealing with the financial and emotional wreckage left in Paul's wake, she is stunned to learn he inherited an estate known as Rosemont in the seemingly-serene Midwestern town of Westbury. Seeking a fresh start and a quiet, solitary life, she moves halfway across the country to make Rosemont her home. Before she can unpack her first box, she's knee-deep in a battle against political corruption, where defeat and retreat are not an option. Still bearing the scars of betrayal, will she find joy, romance and possibility in Westbury?

"Maggie made herself tea in a Wedgewood cup

 and wandered through the house... settled into the chair's protective embrace...

An unblemished blanket of snow in the garden looked like frosting on a cake."

MrsK's Review:

Maggie Martin first learned of the house from Paul as he was dying. What did he mean the house was for her? She had just inherited Rosemont, of course nothing was too surprising any more. Her life had totally flipped upside down and in so many degrees she didn't know what was real, let alone what could ever be considered "surprising." What she didn't expect was the overwhelming sense of home once she stepped over the threshold of Rosemont.

With the key to Rosemont, Maggie discovers beauty can come from the ashes of a life that was lived, shared, and unimaginably untrue. The only security that appeared "real" was the handyman that would help her bring life to Rosemont. A few years her senior, Sam Torres and his wife lived just a few minutes away, which meant they would be the only true security Maggie could rely on.

Frank Haynes is a frustrated swindler who is determined to make a name for himself in "his" town. What began as a few dishonest property endeavors is now threatening his ill-conceived plans. There are so many that he needs to clean up after, including Paul's wife Maggie.

John Allen is a man with a "gentle nature and deep, abiding kindness." He is the local veterinarian who instantly wonders where this "gorgeous woman" has been all of his life.  

Once the town council meets, there are far too many financial concerns and not enough answers. Now begins the unraveling of the truth behind so many of the mysterious happenings around the town. What Maggie can do for the town, will depend on what a small group of friends will do to support her while she digs deep into the council's cover up. For Maggie, the investigation will prove easier than opening her heart to new friendships, the possibility of love, and the hope for a new season of life. 

To follow your intuition, to be given a key to a home that would set your life in a new direction,
well if your children are grown and your husband has died...
Why not?
MrsK

"Be very discreet,... We're starting to pull on a thread,
and we don't know what it will unravel."

Not Just any Enjoyable Read!
Coming to Rosemont inspires you to follow your intuition.

"This book was sent to me for this unbiased review."

Thank you Barbara for Rosemont!

Meet the Author:

  Barbara Hinske is a BookBub Bestselling Author in the Women's Fiction category. She is a practicing attorney in Phoenix, Arizona, who inherited the writing gene from her dad. She has two grown children with her exceedingly kind and good second husband who died of cancer in 2006. Lucky in love, Barb married another exceptional man and father of two in 2010, and they live in their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs.

 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

It Happened in Scotland by Patience Griffin

Patience Griffin

ISBN: 9780451476401

Publisher's Synopsis:

After pulling herself out of a three-year fog of grief over the loss of her husband, Joe, Rachel is bringing their five-year-old daughter to see his hometown of Gandiegow and visit with his grandfather. But Rachel wasn’t planning on running into Joe’s cousin, the man who made her have second thoughts at the altar...

Brodie has come home to help his grandfather’s fishing business, but he’d prefer not to see Rachel. Although she did break his heart six years ago, the grip she has on him hasn’t faltered. If they can stop butting heads long enough and learn to overcome the past, they may find new love in the new year.

Christmas in the sleepy Scottish fishing village of Gandiegow this year is a time for quilting, 

patching up broken hearts, and rekindling an old flame...

MrsK's Review:

Rachel Granger has brought her daughter to Glasgow. Even though this is a trip she doesn't want to make, she knows it is time for Hannah to meet her great-grandfather. It had been years since she had been back in the village, a time when marriage to Joe was interrupted by a love not forgotten and the unwanted moment when she buried Joe. Neither time brought peace, nor a village that was kind to her. Yet, here she was. Would she find the elusive peace, joy, and love that her heart once walked away from? If confronted with a second-chance decision will she embrace it or walk away? 

Cait is the owner of the Kilts and Quilts retreat. During the plane trip, Cait befriended Rachel and has helped to alter more than hotel accomodations. Just what can one open-invitation of friendship do in someone's life...plenty!

"Ye're back."

Why hadn't Brodie's friend let him know that Cait was on the plane? Once again Brodie Wallace would have to move beyond his feelings, after all Cait is just another "heartless woman." Why is she back in Gandiegow? Years ago he gave his heart to Cait, now that she is back his unrest will bring either the greatest gift of a love rekindled or that of complete frustration with a decision to escape.

Abraham is Brodie's grandfather, a man respected by many but guilty of many life-changing judgements. Cait must stay with them for Christmas, now is the time for him to correct those past hurts.

Since this is my first book in the Kilts and Quilts series, I must say that I couldn't have been more surprised with these characters. They are strong-willed, they are "quirky" and they are so comfortable. Although quilting isn't the main subject, the value and passion for quilting is woven throughout the storyline with a final project that honors the tradition of a quilt to be treasured. Their lifestyle and village is a destination you want to come "home" to again and again.

Thank you Patience for such a wonderful retreat!
MrsK

Very enjoyable!

The type of journey you need every once in awhile,

especially when you want to feel like going on

a retreat with a friend.

Meet the Author:

Award-winning author Patience Griffin has been writing and sewing her whole life but didn't discover her love of quilting until her late thirties. She decided the best way to acquire her first quilt was to make one for herself. At nearly the same time, she started commuting three and half hours a day for her dream engineering job. To pass the time on the long drive, she got hooked on audiobooks-especially books with love stories. Within a couple of years, she was writing stories of her own. It was no surprise to her family and friends when she combined her love of quilting, her small town roots, and her obsession with Scottish romances into novels. She has gained some recognition with her September 11th Story Quilt which has toured the country as the property of the Pentagon. She has a master's degree in nuclear engineering but spends her days writing stories about hearth and home, and dreaming about the fictional small town of Gandiegow, Scotland.

"I received this book for this honest review by the author."

  BECAUSE WHAT YOU READ MATTERS

If I Run by Terri Blackstock

By Terri Blackstock

ISBN: 9780310332435

Publisher's Synopsis:

Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.

But what is the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?

Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.



"There's blood on the bottom of my shoes...

Blood runs down the drain.

My heart races as though it's my own draining away,

but it's not mine."







MrsK's Review:

Are you ready to spend some time on the run? From the beginning you will be on the run with Casey.

What would you do if you discovered your friend murdered? For Casey it was all about the moments leading up to the discovery of Brent in a pool of blood.

As the daughter of a detective, it was instilled in her to respect authority. She was given a belief that you trusted the legal system.  You knew the difference between good and bad/right from wrong. And  you "used" your intelligence to "pre-think" scenarios. Yet, all of these strengths will place Casey in the "run" of her life. Once the system turned on her family, Casey began choosing avenues that would place her in the midst of a homicide within her father's Shreveport Police Department.

Dylan is home from Iraq. The last thing he expected was to find out his friend had been murdered. Once an Army Criminal Investigator, Dylan will be hired as a friend of the family as their Private Investigator. Regardless of his honorable discharge, Dylan suffers from PTSD and is willing but not enthusiastic in doing this job. That is until so much about Casey doesn't add up to being a psychopathic killer. What is the truth about why she is on the run? Any reasonable person would have called the police, being on the run usually proves someones guilt. Why does the Shreveport Police Department and Gordon Keegan think a PI should investigate her where abouts instead of their department? What had Brent fallen into?

Miss Lucy is from Shady Grove, Georgia. On the bus with Casey, she talks about her faith. She reveals how her granddaughter Laura disappeared when she was only fourteen. Miss Lucy knows she wouldn't have run away, she had been so excited about her first homecoming. Casey considers Shady Grove as a good stopping place, especially since she can't get Laura's disappearance out of her mind.

Fast paced, ultimately four crimes to unravel, and characters that will make the hours pass.
If you haven't read any of Terri's books... start with this one!
MrsK

"I give in to the temptation to pray...

I have trouble believing in God,

but when I'm in a mess,

my mind often formulates quiet pleas.

I don't know what to ask for.

Time? Distance? And escape path?"



 

Amazing suspense... Is time running out?

Added to my shelf

Meet the Author:

   Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She is the winner of two Carol Awards, a Christian Retailers Choice Award, and a Romantic Times Book Reviews Career Achievement Award, among others. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist.

Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

 Learn more about Terri's books...

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Mermaid Moon by Colleen Coble

By Colleen Coble

ISBN: 9781401690281

Publisher's Synopsis:

Mallory’s mother died fifteen years ago. But her father’s last words on the phone were unmistakable: “Find . . . mother.” Shame and confusion have kept Mallory Davis from her home for the last fifteen years, but when her dad mysteriously dies on his mail boat route, she doesn’t have any choice but to go back to Mermaid Point. Mallory believes her father was murdered and childhood sweetheart Kevin O’Connor, game warden in Downeast Maine, confirms her suspicions. But Kevin is wary of helping Mallory in her search. She broke his heart—and left—without a word, years ago. When Mallory begins receiving threats on her own life—and her beloved teenage daughter, Haylie—their search intensifies. There’s a tangled web within the supposed murder, and it involves much more than what meets the eye. As answers begin to fall into place, Mallory realizes her search is about more than finding her father’s killer—it is also about finding herself again . . . and possibly about healing what was broken so long ago with Kevin. She just has to stay alive long enough to put all the pieces together.

MrsK's Review:

Mallory is a creative sea-glass jewelry artisan. At the moment, she is taking her twenty pieces around to various store owners in Bangor, Maine. Not only are these pieces delightfully crafted, but her signature mermaid adds just the right uniqueness for all customers. Her daughter, Haylie, is at that age, as a fourteen year old, where all she wants is her mother to just "Chill out." For the past week, she has had that inner feeling that someone has been watching her. Why would anyone care about her or her whereabouts? Was it a bill collector? 

"Love you...always.

Find...Mother.

Tell...Haylie. Love her.

Should have...known better."

What was her dad talking about? Was he having a heart attack? Oh, how she wished she could turn the clock back. Warden Kevin O'Connor, dreaded the phone call to Mallory. Not only had Kevin looked up to Edmund, he also knew the depth of assistance that Mallory will need to move beyond her father's death. Will he be able to provide that assistance know that Mallory is heading home? It had been so many years since Mallory had left Breakwater Cottage and Mermaid Point. Aunt Blanche and Haylie were all that is left. What happened?

"I'm here Sadie...

The familiar pang struck him at her sightless eyes...

pulled her on his lap,

relishing the little girl scent of strawberry shampoo."





 Kevin wasn't expecting how shaken he would be in seeing Mallory again. Given the agony of today's discovery, all of the emotions and doubts had drained Kevin. Yet, coming home to his eight-year old daughter proved to be the salve that his disquieted heart would need, at least for the time being.

Mallory's life begins a fast-paced unraveling. What begins with her father's death quickly spirals into chaos. Rocks with messages, watchers in the woods, a burglary in her home in Bangor, then a near brush with a fiery death will rekindle a bond with Kevin. Yet, with so many twists and turns in the murder investigation... is it possible to bring down the walls between them?

For me, as a reader, I was hooked the minute I met Mallory. The mystery is so well woven between Mallory's story, her feelings for Kevin, their daughter's friendship that you will find it difficult to put the book down. Characterization is at its best!

The pacing will be like a siren's song... calling you back... until the last page is turned.
MrsK

Entertaining... Perfect blend of mystery and romance... Delightful page turner!

Meet the Author:
  USAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 2 million books in print. Learn more about Colleen's books...

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Brooklyn On Fire by Lawrence H. Levy

Lawrence H Levy

ISBN: 9780553418941

Publisher's Synopsis:

Brooklyn’s most witty and daring detective risks everything to solve a dangerous triple-murder case

After closing a case with the Brooklyn Police Department, Mary Handley is determined to become an official detective in her own right. And when Emily Worsham shows up at her new office— convinced her uncle John Worsham was murdered and desperate for answers—Mary’s second assignment begins. 

As she investigates the curious circumstances surrounding John’s death, Mary soon finds herself entangled in a high-stakes family scandal, a series of interconnected murders, political corruption, untrustworthy sources, and an unexpected romance with a central member of New York's elite.

Featuring historic figures like Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and the Vanderbilt family, Brooklyn on Fire takes Mary on a wild journey from New York City to North Carolina to uncover not only the truth of one man's death, but to unravel the mystery in three murders – with links tied perilously close to her own personal world.

MrsK's Review:

Who is Mary Handley? Well she is as clever as Sherlock. She is quite adorable.  She is inquisitive and wise in discernment's concerning character. Which by the way is why she is a Consulting Detective for the Brooklyn Police Department.  As a salesclerk for Lazlo's Books, she is ready to begin her investigative services in her new office. Mr. Lazlo believes that many customers will enter the bookstore in need of Mary's service, so an agreement was made that she could locate her office in the back of his bookstore since there was a possibility of "elevating someone's intellectual pursuits" as they sought Mary's services and perused the inviting titles upon his shelves (which by the way I fully agree is an excellent business arrangement).

With such outstanding traits, Mary tends to "step" into the craziest... life-threatening situations. Mary's second mystery begins when Miss Emily Worsham requests assistance in proving the murder of her great-uncle John. Solving a murder case entails so many different twists and turns, yet solving a 20 year old murder will not be completely accepted by the Police Department, relatives, nor the "elite" society that may have benefited from the murder.

Even though it is 1890, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle has failed to mention the murder of  Gabrielle Evans. The Huttington's are powerful, rich, and willing to do anything to keep their status. So would murder be out of the question? Has Archer Huttington's quest for the truth about his father's death (John Worsham) set off more cover-ups? Will an attack on Mr. Lazlo quiet Mary? Will Superintendent Campbell help Mary exhume John's body? For Mary, too many strands were getting tangled, including the new attention of one George Vanderbilt!
Events unfold quickly once an actress is stabbed. Now Mary's list of unanswered questions has grown out of control, as well the list of suspects.

Nothing is as it appears, the plot continues to plummet into a depth of corruption that is mind-boggling. The one consistent thread will be found in Mary's character. As a team, George and Mary will get to the truth and untangle all of the threads. What will be revealed is the moment in which the reader realizes how entertained they have been with a read such as this!
Enjoy a mystery in which all are players...
Including the reader,
MrsK

"When traveling, dining, or really doing anything with a Vanderbilt, 
there was generally only one class--the best and the finest."

 
An enjoyable and entertaining read!

http://www.lawrencehlevy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/MaryHandley_Map.jpg

 click to read more

Meet the Author:

 

LAWRENCE H. LEVY is a highly regarded film and TV writer who is a Writers Guild Award winner and two-time Emmy nominee. He has written for various hit TV shows such as Family Ties, Saved by the Bell, Roseanne, and Seinfeld. Brooklyn on Fire is his second novel.

Read an excerpt  

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review." 

The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay

ISBN: 9781401689759

Publisher's Synopsis:

When Lucy’s secret is unearthed, her world begins to crumble. 

But it may be the best thing that has ever happened to her.

Lucy Alling makes a living selling rare books, often taking suspicious liberties to reach her goals. When her unorthodox methods are discovered, Lucy’s secret ruins her relationship with her boss and her boyfriend, James—leaving Lucy in a heap of hurt and trouble.Something has to change; she has to change.

In a sudden turn of events, James’s wealthy grandmother, Helen, hires Lucy as a consultant for a London literary and antiques excursion. Lucy reluctantly agrees and soon discovers Helen holds secrets of her own. In fact, Helen understands Lucy’s predicament better than anyone else.

As the two travel across England, Lucy benefits from Helen’s wisdom as Helen confronts ghosts from her own past. Everything comes to a head at Haworth, home of the Brontë sisters, where Lucy is reminded of the sisters’ beloved heroines who, with tenacity and resolution, endured—even in the midst of impossible circumstances.

Now Lucy must face her past in order to move forward. And while it may hold mistakes and regrets, she will prevail—if only she can step into the life that’s been waiting for her all along.


MrsK's Review:
You know when you open a box of chocolates, how that anticipation of your first choice leads to apprehension as you take that first bite. The overwhelming goodness of that first bite always leads to the next and then the next. This book is like a box of chocolates in that every chapter provides literary delights.

Wednesday is Book Day at Sid McKenna Antiques and Design. For Lucy, this was the day that she savored. Lucy delighted in checking her favored online book sellers. It was her day to monitor auctions for her clientele's requests. It was a day spent revisiting the treasured titles in the locked cabinet, while providing special "TLC" by dusting gilded pages and oiling leather covers.

On the day that James enters her "antiqued" world, Lucy is swept away like any grand romance novel. Their witty bantering over literary lines is just as endearing as any Austen novel. For Lucy, James is the beginning of a hope-filled future. For James, he has fallen for his "book-girl." Even his grandmother, Helen, is delighted with Lucy. So what could possibly go wrong?

Lucy has a secret that a lawyer should not discover. Lucy has a past that was passed down through generations of con-men. Eventually James will need to make a choice about Lucy. Does everyone deserve a second chance? Is it true that "you must go back in order to go forward?"

Grandmother Helen believes in second chances and in making things right. In life or in literature, there is a cross roads, "a time when you don't know where you'll be, but you can't stay as you are."  So when she insists on hiring Lucy as a companion for a literary excursion in Europe, everyone is against the travel plans. Yet, Helen must make things right and now is the time. As soon as Lucy is "enticed" into the travel plans, she begins organizing destinations by their shared literary favorites. In London's Trafalgar Square there are many reasons to sit and ponder the literary greats, especially if one is sitting with Mr. Wilde. At Tavistock House a Dicken's tidbit is awaiting, "...Dickens loved people best. He always gave the little man a way out." In Westminster Abbey, there are so many literary morsels engaging you with anticipation-expectation or pure delight as you experience with Lucy the Poet's Corner (gosh, what would I be feeling...). Not only is there a great adventurous spirit within Lucy, she is as any first time traveler. In awe of the sights she has only read about. Filled with dear character voices she walks through museums, manor homes, towns, up cobblestone paths, across the moors, and into future free from shackled secrets. 

What ever you decide about Lucy, James, and Helen... I know that I will never forget the grand adventure I had touring literary sights and savoring the delectable literary quotes. This novel is crafted for every reader who has stepped into a book and found friends, love, enemies, and family,

So, venture into Lucy's journey, "Come Further up, Come further in."
MrsK

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, 

your worldview, 

especially childhood reading, 

and anything that does that has an impact.

So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

“I mean that reading forms your opinions, your worldview, especially childhood reading, and anything that does that has an impact. So call them friends, call some stories enemies if you want, but don’t deny their influence.”

 

Uniquely Delightful!

A literary smorgasbord filled with delicious tidbits. 

 Meet the Author:
  Katherine Reay: I started my professional career in marketing and I’ve morphed into a novelist. I like this much better. Fiction is powerful stuff, I think. It allows us to convey truth in meaningful and palatable ways — one reading of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and you’ve got the whole gospel Narnia-style without ever leaving an amazing adventure.

But to have a really good story — you have to engage a complex and authentic character. If I can relate to/empathize with/care about a character, then her journey becomes mine and I learn about myself and the world around me — perhaps in ways I never imagined. And that’s provocative…

Read an Excerpt

"Katherine Reay is a remarkable author who has created her own sub-genre, wrapping classic fiction around contemporary stories.

  Her writing is flawless and smooth, her storytelling meaningful and poignant. 

You’re going to love The Bronte Plot."

  Debbie Macomber #1 NYT author

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

 
The Hired Girl

by Laura Amy Schlitz

ISBN:9780763678180

 Publisher's Synopsis:
Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself—because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of—a woman with a future. Inspired by her own grandmother’s journal, Newbery Medalist Laura Amy Schlitz relates Joan’s journey from the muck of the chicken coop to the comforts of a society household in Baltimore (Electricity! Carpet sweepers! Sending out the laundry!), taking readers on an exploration of feminism and housework; religion and literature; love and loyalty; cats, hats, and bunions.

MrsK's Review:

Joan is such a delightful heroine. She is spunky, intelligent, resourceful, and very loyal. She is a hard worker, someone whose dreams will guide her decisions and provide the inner strength that will be needed to escape a life shrouded in oppressive misery.

Joan's story begins on the day that Miss Chandler (her teacher) gave her a journal. One in which she was guided to "write in it with truth and refinement." It was the day that would remain planted in Joan's spirit and provide her with the strength to change her life. Her father had decided that she could no longer continue going to school and in 1911, you did what your parents told you to do especially if you are a daughter and your mother is no longer living. Life on a farm with only a dad and brothers meant that Joan was needed at home. Her life was fixed, her days were filled with chores and her free time... well reading was a joy until that fatal decision when her father burns the books that her teacher gave her.

Joan boldly leaves the farm. She is heading to Philadelphia with a hope-filled desire to be a servant in a household that will pay her. Her train ride and the young gentleman who befriends her is an eye-opening journey. Once she arrives in Philadelphia, Joan discovers that there is no place to stay and with darkness approaching she is not sure what her options are. With prayer... all things can be made bearable. A young man discovers her on the park bench and refuses to let her sleep in the park. 

Once Joan is introduced to the Rosenbach family, she begins her journey into adulthood... being accepted into a Jewish family... and discovering the facets of her calling and inner strength. As in all of our lives, being young means that there will be many opportunities to learn your way along a given path. For Joan, her first lesson will be with Malka the treasured cook, nanny, and house keeper. Malka is aging and ailing, this is Joan's perfect opportunity to learn while being a blessing to Malka. That is if Malka will accept her help and the fact that she is a Catholic.

Given that Jane Eyre is one of Joan's favorite characters, the Rosenbach's sons are very intriguing to someone so young. Will Joan lose her heart to one of them or will she seek the forbidden education that was so cruelly taken from her? Befriended by Mirele, the Rosenbach's daughter, Joan soon discovers city life and shopping. Imagine buying your first outfit, shoes, gloves, and hat... now imagine the joy of purchasing your first leather book (of course this was my favorite part).

When Joan begins experiencing life with the Rosenbach family, she begins enjoying a life she could only read about. And yet, deep within her spirit is the desire to experience schooling, and being free from a life of hard work. A life of her own. Will she find it through marriage? Will she need to leave this family that has brought her in off the streets? What is the path that she must take?

Written as a diary, Joan invites us into her thoughts... her choices... her hopes and dreams for a future that is just beginning to unfold. Every character is so well defined. The setting depicts Victorian homes, cultures, cities just moving into the "care free" life style as the age of inventions is sweeping the east coast.

This novel is not just for young adults, it is an excellent historical piece and will bring great discussions to any book club. 
Enjoy meeting Joan and her discoveries as young girl maturing into a young lady,
MrsK  

Enjoyable reading with a delightful heroine!

Meet the Author:

 

I have made my living as a librarian (I took off a couple of years off, to tour with a children's theatre - it was a gloriously free, and disorganized life, but eventually, I had no money at all). I love the theatre, and wrote my first stage play for a friend, who needed a last-minute script for Beauty and the Beast. It turned out better than anyone expected, and I became a playwright - my plays have been produced in professional theatres all over the country. I love to make things; bread, marionettes, quilts, watercolors, origami animals. My hands get restless if I can't make things. For the past thirteen years, I've worked as a school librarian, and I am so grateful that I work with children - they make me laugh, and their energy reminds me to enjoy life.

As a writer, I do a lot of complaining. People often ask why I write, when I hate it so much. I answer, that I write because I am under a curse. I keep meaning to give up writing, but I haven't got around to it yet. I dread sitting down to write, and I have to resort to tricks to get myself to the paper. "One half hour, or one page," I promise myself, "then you can get up and do something you like." I go to the bathroom, take the telephone off the hook, fill my fountain pen, get myself a glass of water, and sit down. Once I sit, my rear end has to stay in place until I've written. I often say that I write with my rear end - it's the ballast that holds me steady while I fight for words.

"I received this book for free for this review."