Revenants by Scott Kauffman

Scott Kauffman

ISBN: 9781637327811

Publisher's Synopsis:

ONLY BETSY CAN GET HIM HOME IN TIME;

ONLY HE CAN BRING HER BACK BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. 

A grief-stricken candy-striper serving in a VA hospital following her brother's death in Viet Nam struggles to return home an anonymous veteran of the Great War against the skullduggery of a congressman who not only controls the hospital as part of his small-town fiefdom but knows the name of her veteran. A name if revealed would end his political ambitions and his fifty-year marriage. In its retelling of Odysseus' journey, Revenants casts a flickering candle upon the charon toll exacted not only from the families of those who fail to return home but of those who do.

"We would want someone trying to get him home to us."

MrsK's Review:
Are you looking for a story that will take you beyond your troubles. A story that will leave a mark upon your heart. A story in which someone's life is "calling out" for a listening ear?

In December of 1973, Betsy would be struggling with so many memories about her brother Nathan. They would be attending his services tomorrow and nothing in her life felt normal. When her choices begin spiraling, her father encourages her to volunteer at the VA hospital. At first the pain and suffering is beyond what Betsy wants to deal with, yet with the supportive wisdom of her father, Betsy realizes that her brother could have ended up in a VA ward.

At some point in our lives, we have had one of those forks in the road, one in which we must choose "grit" as our vehicle down a road not normally traveled. For Betsy, Ward 7 will be that road. As each of the veteran's stories begins to weave a bond within Betsy's heart, she begins having dreams in which her brother tells her something. What is he trying to share?

"Sometimes your patriotic duty is not to stand up but to scream, No!"

Why is there a floor upstairs that no one is allowed to enter? Who is receiving medical attention so closely guarded that no one is willing to discuss him with Betsy? With the help of Filbert, Betsy will begin a quest to uncover the truth about this veteran. Doesn't he have family? Wouldn't someone want to know where he is or that he is still alive? Could Bartholomew help this aging, sightless, veteran tell his story by using Morse code?

Betsy finds herself trapped in a race against time. Not only will she need to discover the identity of the veteran, but she will be facing opposition from Congressman Hanna.

When a story touches your heart in a way that it quivers, you know it's a story to be shared,

MrsK 

"You will learn soon enough, young lady, that everyone has their price.

Anyone can be bought. Anyone."

Uniquely written, mysteriously woven, and heart-touching!

Meet the Author:

    Scott claims his fiction career began with a in-class book report written in Mrs. Baer's eighth-grade English class when, due to a conflict of priorities, he failed to read the book. An exercise of imagination was required. Scott snagged a B, better than the C he received on his last report when he actually read the book. Thus began his life-long apprenticeship as a teller of tales and, some would snidely suggest, as a lawyer as well, but they would be cynics, a race Oscar Wilde warned us knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. Scott is the author of the legal-suspense novel, In Deepest Consequences, and a recipient of the 2011 Mighty River Short Story Contest and the 2010 Hackney Literary Award. His short fiction has been appeared in Big Muddy, Adelaide Magazine, and Lascaux Review. He is now at work on two novel manuscripts and a collection of short stories. He is an attorney in Irvine, California, where his practice focuses upon white-collar crime and tax litigation with his clients providing him endless story fodder. He graduated summa cum laude from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, and in the upper ten percent of his class from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, where he was a member of the Environmental Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Conflict of Laws.

"I received this book for free for this review"

Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC

The Cherished Quilt by Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston

ISBN: 9780310341963

Publisher's Synopsis:

Emily Fisher is eager to meet the new employee at her father’s shop in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. But when Christopher Hochstetler arrives, his cold demeanor freezes her attempts at building a friendship.

Longing for a fresh start, Christopher travels from Ohio to Bird-in-Hand to work at his uncle’s shop. Christopher’s heart is still wounded from memories of home, and making new friends is the last thing on his mind—he knows the pain that comes with losing those you love. When Emily is kind to him, he tries to remain distant, but he soon finds himself stealing glances at her throughout the day.

When Christopher shares his tragic reasons for leaving home, Emily decides to make a quilt for him as a gesture of their friendship. Even though he is not a member of the church, she’s found someone with whom she can imagine a future. The two are quickly falling in love when a family emergency calls Christopher back to Ohio without warning.

"If you come to God broken, he will heal you

and make you whole again."

MrsK's Review:

Christopher is running from the horrible truth that he was responsible for his younger brother's death. Leaving behind his family's horse breeding and training business, Christopher is hoping to find some peace with his uncle in Lancaster County.

In Lancaster County, Emily is working on the accounting books for the Bird-In-Hand Harness Shop when Christopher arrives for his first day at work. With a welcoming spirit, Emily hopes that if she befriends Christopher she might find a way to help him move past the death of his brother.

For Emily helping Christopher will not be an easy road to travel. She will need to search her heart to see if she can be patient while Christopher moves beyond his pain. For Christopher he will need to rely on a listening heart, one in which his confessing the truth of his brother's death just might open a pathway for trust. When he gets a call to come home, the only hope Chris can accept is one that Emily has embedded within his heart. Will she understand his decision to leave without saying goodbye? Would "the pain slicing through his soul ever fade?"

Given the talents of the author, this endearing read brings back all of the characters from previous stories. Each of these delightful characters are so well crafted that it is truly a joy to see what is happening in their lives beyond where there story had previously ended.

Coming back home to Lancaster county is so sweet,
MrsK

Beautifully sweet, a place where love has taken root!

An Amish Heirloom Series

Meet the Author:

  Hi, I’m Amy Clipston. I am an author of Amish and Christian fiction with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Most of my books focus on the Amish community, faith, and love. I also write romance novels and young adult inspirational stories.

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

Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles

Deborah Wiles

ISBN: 0439881765

Publisher's Synopsis:

Ten-year-old Comfort Snowberger has attended 247 funerals. But that's not surprising, considering that her family runs the town funeral home. And even though Great-uncle Edisto keeled over with a heart attack and Great-great-aunt Florentine dropped dead--just like that--six months later, Comfort knows how to deal with loss, or so she thinks. She's more concerned with avoiding her crazy cousin Peach and trying to figure out why her best friend, Declaration, suddenly won't talk to her. Life is full of surprises. And the biggest one of all is learning what it takes to handle them.

"I come from a family with a lot of dead people."

MrsK's Review:

Comfort doesn't have a typical home life. Her family lives in a home above the funeral parlor. For generations her family has taken care so many of the locals in Snapfinger, Mississippi. Each family member has their own truly unique position, Comfort is known for her gifted word choice and her optimistic outlook, that is why she became the one who writes the obituaries for the local paper. At 10, it is rather an important position.

Declaration has been Comfort's best friend forever until school begins and then somethings just aren't as cool as it once was. With such tension between friends, the girls are no longer spending time together, that is until Aunt Florentine's death.

When the rains had swollen Snapfinger Creek, Comfort, Dismay, and her cousin Peach were heading to Listening Rock. That's when life took the most unexpected turn. Comfort will learn courage during the "messy glory" of life.

Crafted with delightful characters, insightful "life" sayings, and a heart-filling journey, this book is an example of life, friendship, and death. It would be a great book study companion to Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terabithia.
MrsK

"When someone you know dies, it's your job to keep on living."

Amazing experience for every student in 3rd-5th grades!

Every school librarian will gladly add this to their shelves...

Meet the Author:

  Deborah Wiles was born in Alabama and spent her summers in a small Mississippi town with an extended family full of characters. She writes about them and they live on in her stories.

She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College and taught at Towson University in Maryland, Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and at Vermont College.

Deborah has written three novels about growing up in the south. They are known as the Aurora County Trilogy: Love, Ruby Lavender, Each Little Bird That Sings, The Aurora County All-Stars.

Walking on Water by Madeleine L'Engle

Madeleine L'Engle

ISBN: 978084189279

Publisher's Synopsis:

In this classic book, Madeleine L'Engle addresses the questions, What makes art Christian? What does it mean to be a Christian artist? What is the relationship between faith and art? Through L'Engle's beautiful and insightful essay, readers will find themselves called to what the author views as the prime tasks of an artist: to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one's own art.

"A book, too, can be a star, explosive material, 

capable of stirring up fresh life endlessly, 

a living fire to lighten the darkness,

leading out into the expanding universe."

MrsK's Review:
As to a response to this books calling, "...to listen, to remain aware, and to respond to creation through one's own art," I must admit that there is a desire to applaud the many essays within the covers of this book.

As the author expresses her life-long discernment, the quality of word choice is seasoned with her voice of wisdom and is profoundly woven with grace and respect for the art of expression, design, and creativity. How do you live your talents? What brings you joy in your life? When in service, what inspires you to be at your best?

Once you've read these essays, re-read with a pencil and hi-lighter. Mark up those pages as you are "listening" for inspiration. Then, I challenge you to re-read once again as you journal your thoughts (use the discussion questions as your guide). Then revisit... often!

These reflections are crafted with an intention towards listening, contemplating, and learning. Multiple readings is recommended. Savoring the well seasoned bits of advice is what brings you joy.
This is a personal gift for you from Mrs. L'Engle...
Enjoy the journey,
MrsK 

"You have to write the book that wants to be written.

And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups,

then you write it for children."

Amazing experience...
Added to my reflection table for continued visits!

Meet the Author:

Madeleine L'Engle was an American writer best known for her Young Adult fiction, particularly the Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time and its sequels A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, and Many Waters. Her works reflect her strong interest in modern science: tesseracts, for example, are featured prominently in A Wrinkle in Time, mitochondrial DNA in A Wind in the Door, organ regeneration in The Arm of the Starfish, and so forth.

As the years passed and the children grew, Madeleine continued to write and Hugh to act, and they to enjoy each other and life. Madeleine began her association with the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, where she has been the librarian and maintained an office for more than thirty years. After Hugh's death in 1986, it was her writing and lecturing that kept her going. She has now lived through the 20th century and into the 21st and has written over 60 books and keeps writing. She enjoys being with her friends, her children, her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren."

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

I'm Going to Give You a Bear Hug! by Caroline B. Cooney

Caroline B. Cooney
ISBN: 9780310754732

Publisher's Synopsis:

I’m Going to Give You a Bear Hug!, written by bestselling author Caroline B. Cooney, is a playful and comforting bedtime book that imagines all the wonderful ways a child might give and receive a hug.

Whether it’s a big bear, gasp for air, knock over a chair hug or a wet and drippy, slimy, slippy fish hug, children will giggle their way through all the imaginative examples. Cooney’s sweet and simple rhymes encourage playful interaction between parent and child and ultimately help them wind down before they snuggle into bed and drift off to sleep.

MrsK's Review:

Did you know that there are more than "bear hugs?" In this delightful read aloud, there are many types of hugs. There are hugs to help you "sleep like a log." Hugs that shout... "Yes, oh yes, of course!"  Plus there is the discovery of a duck, pig, fish, or whale hug which are quite endearing. And yet, nothing can compare to a "Way beyond compare hug." 

When a story is woven with perfected illustrations, every reader and listener experiences joy so beautifully crafted that every night it becomes a favorite choice. With pure delight, you and your little one can have precious moments comparing hugs.

As I shared this book with my little ones, our giggles became fun-filled huggles!
Enjoy this engaging story over and over,
MrsK

Simply delightful!

A must for every home and school library.

Meet the Author:

Caroline Cooney knew in sixth grade that she wanted to be a writer when "the best teacher I ever had in my life" made writing her main focus. "He used to rip off covers from The New Yorker and pass them around and make us write a short story on whichever cover we got. I started writing then and never stopped!"

When her children were young, Caroline started writing books for young people -- with remarkable results. She began to sell stories to Seventeen magazine and soon after began writing books. Suspense novels are her favorites to read and write. "In a suspense novel, you can count on action."

To keep her stories realistic, Caroline visits many schools outside of her area, learning more about teenagers all the time. She often organizes what she calls a "plotting game," in which students work together to create plots for stories. Caroline lives in Westbrook, Connecticut and when she's not writing she volunteers at a hospital, plays piano for the school musicals and daydreams!


Meet the Illustrator:
Tim Warnes (Papa Bear) has his home in the countryside of Dorset, England, with his wife, illustrator Jane Chapman (Mama Bear), and their son, Noah (Little Bear). When asked how he felt about illustrating this book, Tim says, "My Christian faith is central to my life, so I jumped at the challenge to illustrate Jesus Loves Me! -- what a great way to use the gift God gave me!" Tim has drawn closely on his own experiences to give us a pictorial celebration of family life, and to share God's love for all of us. The hens you see in the pictures are from Tim's very own backyard.
With over forty picture books currently in print, award-winning illustrator Tim Warnes has been published in more than twenty countries. This is his first book with Simon & Schuster.