“Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ― G.K. Chesterton

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

"The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey" by Carolyn Miller Blog Tour & Review

 
"The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey" by Carolyn Miller is the third book in the "Regency Brides: A Legacy of Grace" series.  I have not read the first two books in the series, but I kept hearing so many good things about this series that I was excited to pick this one up!  I loved this book and am now excited to go back and read the other two!  This book has characters from the other books but can definitely be read as a standalone.   
 
"The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey" features Miss Clara DeLancey as our main character.  At the start of this novel, as the title intimates, whether Clara is a heroine or a villain is still up for debate.  As one begins this book, it is implied that Miss Clara DeLancey was in fact a rather villainous character in the other books in this series.  I didn't read the first two books, so I was not as prejudiced against Clara as I imagine other readers might be coming into this book.  I think Ms. Miller does a good job of making the reader sympathize with Clara over the course of the novel and even (gasp!) come to like her.  Her character arc and growth throughout the novel is very well done and believable. 
 
I think this whole book is so well written and is a unique Regency era story.  I love Clara's character and how she changes over the course of the novel.  I really enjoy the side characters as well, especially Matilda and the friendship between Clara and Matilda.  I appreciate that Clara is in a hard place in the beginning of the novel--in fact, she doesn't want to live.  She struggles with a lot of real emotions and feelings because of past events.  She is lonely and lost.  I love how Matilda speaks God's Truth into her.  Throughout the novel, Clara turns thoughts of loss into prayers of blessing and prays for those who hurt her.  There is beautiful reconciliation that happens between some of the characters, but it is not easy and the characters struggle to get to this place. 
 
This book is exceptional on so many levels--the characters, the spiritual aspects, and the writing!  "The Dishonorable Miss DeLancey" features themes of forgiveness, redemption, finding oneself, and trusting in God's plan.  The book is full of action, danger and dastardly plots as well! 
 
Content: This is a clean read.  I would rate this book PG.  There is a girl who wants her life to end and is possibly contemplating suicide.  A man eyes the low neck of a woman's gown.  A man slips something into a woman's drink to try to take advantage of her and then he does try to.  There is gambling and drinking at parties that the characters attend.  A man physically abuses the main character.  A man refers to “certain activities” he wants to engage in with a lady.  A man refers to dealing with "light skirts".
 
Rating: I give this book 4.5 stars


Genre: Christian historical fiction; Regency; Romance

I want to thank Carolyn Miller and Kregal Publications for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.




About the Author: Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's previous novels have won several contests, including the 2014 RWA "Touched by Love" and 2014 ACFW Gensis contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy.

To visit the author's website click here

To purchase the book click here

Sunday, October 22, 2017

"The Tides Between"​ by Elizabeth Jane Corbett Book Blast!


 
 

The Tides Between
​ 
by Elizabeth Jane Corbett

Publication Date: October 20, 2017 Odyssey Books
Paperback; 300 Pages


Genre: Fiction/Young Adult/Historical





She fancied herself part of a timeless chain without beginning or end, linked only by the silver strong words of its tellers.

In the year 1841, on the eve of her departure from London, Bride’s mother demands she forget her dead father and prepare for a sensible, adult life in Port Phillip. Desperate to save her childhood, fifteen-year-old Bridie is determined to smuggle a notebook filled with her father’s fairytales to the far side of the world.

When Rhys Bevan, a soft-voiced young storyteller and fellow traveller realises Bridie is hiding something, a magical friendship is born. But Rhys has his own secrets and the words written in Bridie’s notebook carry a dark double meaning.

As they inch towards their destination, Rhys’s past returns to haunt him. Bridie grapples with the implications of her dad’s final message. The pair take refuge in fairytales, little expecting the trouble it will cause.

Pick up your copy from Odyssey Books

 

About the Author


When Elizabeth Jane Corbett isn’t writing, she works as a librarian, teaches Welsh at the Melbourne Celtic Club, writes reviews and articles for the Historical Novel Society and blogs at elizabethjanecorbett.com. In 2009, her short-story, Beyond the Blackout Curtain, won the Bristol Short Story Prize. Another, Silent Night, was short listed for the Allan Marshall Short Story Award. An early draft of her debut novel, The Tides Between, was shortlisted for a HarperCollins Varuna manuscript development award.

Elizabeth lives with her husband, Andrew, in a renovated timber cottage in Melbourne’s inner-north. She likes red shoes, dark chocolate, commuter cycling, and reading quirky, character driven novels set once-upon-a-time in lands far, far away.

For more information, please visit Elizabeth Jane Corbett’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Book Blast Schedule

Monday, October 16
Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 17
The Never-Ending Book

Wednesday, October 18
A Book Geek

Thursday, October 19
The Reading Queen
Friday, October 20
Pursuing Stacie
What Is That Book About

Sunday, October 22
Faery Tales Are Real
Monday, October 23
Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots
Tuesday, October 24
Creating Herstory
Wednesday, October 25
History From a Woman’s Perspective
Thursday, October 26
Jenn’s Book Vibes
Friday, October 27
WS Momma Readers Nook
Monday, October 30 I Heart Reading
Tuesday, October 31Back Porchervations
Wednesday, November 1T’s Stuff
Friday, November 3A Holland Reads
Monday, November 6Broken Teepee
Tuesday, November 7Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
Thursday, November 9 CelticLady’s Reviews
Locks, Hooks and Books
Carole Rae’s Random Ramblings

Friday, November 10 What Cathy Read Next




Friday, October 20, 2017

A Lovely and Inspiring Devotional--"The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional" by Sandra Byrd Review



"The One Year Experiencing God's Love Devotional" by Sandra Byrd is a lovely and inspiring devotional book!  Sandra Byrd is one of my favorite authors, so when I saw she was coming out with a new book I jumped on the chance to review it.  I haven't read any of her non-fiction books before, but I can now say that I am just as pleased with this book as I am with her fiction books!  My husband and I are currently reading through Tyndale's "The One Year Devotions for Couples: 365 Inspirational Readings" by David and Teresa Ferguson, so I am familiar with Tyndale's "One Year" line of devotions. 



Ms. Byrd breaks her book up into months and has a devotion written for each day of the year.  Each month loosely follows a theme that goes along with that season and/or month.  Some of her devotions go along with the season or day (for example, there are ones that are Christmas themed).  I also think you can read the devotions any day of the year, no matter what month or season you are in and still get a lot out of it. 

For each day, the devotion has a short section to read and a correlating verse.  At the end of each month, there is a benediction.  In the devotions, Ms. Byrd uses stories from her own life, quotes, parts of hymns and recipes to make each one unique and interesting.  Sometimes there are application questions to help tie in what you have read and apply it to your life.  The devotions are filled with Scripture and are Biblically based and accurate.  They are also Gospel focused.  I have many of the devotions and pages marked as I love them so much and I want to go back to them to remember the truths and encouragement shared.  Some examples of my favorites are her devotions on hard seasons, having joy during hard times, Surviving and Thriving, and “The Best of Times” (which has a Dicken theme).  This book convicted me and encouraged me in my walk with the Lord.  I highly recommend this book!

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars.

Genre:  Christian non-fiction; Self-help; Devotional


 
 
I want to thank Sandra Byrd and Tyndale House Publishers for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

 About the Author: 

After earning her first rejection at the age of thirteen, bestselling author Sandra Byrd has now published more than fifty books.

Sandra’s series of historically sound Gothic romances launched with the best-selling Mist of Midnight, which earned a coveted Editor’s Choice award from the Historical Novel Society. The second book, Bride of a Distant Isle, has been selected by Romantic Times as a Top Pick. The third in the series, A Lady in Disguise, published in 2017. Sandra is excited to continue writing Gothic romance and will be adding books to that genre beginning in October 2018 with Tyndale House Publishers.

Check out her contemporary adult fiction debut, Let Them Eat Cake, which was a Christy Award finalist, as was her first historical novel, To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn. To Die For was also named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2011, and The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Kateryn Parr was named a Library Journal Best Books Pick for 2012.

Sandra has published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a devotionalist, this time for women, with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions. Her latest book, The One Year Experiencing God’s Love Devotional, will be published in October 2017.

Sandra is passionate about helping new writers develop their talents and their work for traditional publishing or self-publication. She has mentored and coached hundreds of new writers and continues to guide developing authors toward success each year via novelcoaching.com.

Please visit http://www.sandrabyrd.com/ to learn more or to invite Sandra to your book club via Skype.

To purchase the book click here


Tuesday, October 17, 2017

"Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I" by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb Blog Tour (with review and interview) and GIVEAWAY!

 

Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I
by Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor

Publication Date: October 3, 2017 William Morrow Paperbacks
Paperback & eBook; 384 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction



New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor has joined with Heather Webb to create this unforgettably romantic novel of the Great War.

August 1914. England is at war. As Evie Elliott watches her brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas Harding, depart for the front, she believes—as everyone does—that it will be over by Christmas, when the trio plan to celebrate the holiday among the romantic cafes of Paris.

But as history tells us, it all happened so differently…

Evie and Thomas experience a very different war. Frustrated by life as a privileged young lady, Evie longs to play a greater part in the conflict—but how?—and as Thomas struggles with the unimaginable realities of war he also faces personal battles back home where War Office regulations on press reporting cause trouble at his father’s newspaper business. Through their letters, Evie and Thomas share their greatest hopes and fears—and grow ever fonder from afar. Can love flourish amid the horror of the First World War, or will fate intervene?

Christmas 1968. With failing health, Thomas returns to Paris—a cherished packet of letters in hand—determined to lay to rest the ghosts of his past. But one final letter is waiting for him…

Praise for Last Christmas in Paris


“Beautifully told…the authors fully capture the characters’ voices as each person is dramatically shaped by the war to end all wars.”—Booklist

“For fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society comes another terrific epistolary historical novel that is simply unputdownable […] this remarkable novel will undoubtedly go on my keeper shelf.” —Karen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Night the Lights Went Out

“Humor, love, tragedy, and hope make for a moving, uplifting read. A winner!” —Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network

“An extraordinary epistolary novel that explores the history and aftermath of the Great War in a sensitive, memorable and profoundly moving fashion. A book to savor, to share and discuss with friends, and above all to cherish.” —Jennifer Robson, international bestselling author of Goodnight from London

“There is a special talent to writing the epistolary novel and Gaynor and Webb have mastered it. Letter by letter, the complex lives of Evie and Thomas unfold as WWI wages on, bringing with it the heartbreaking news of physical and emotional casualties. And yet, in the midst of such sacrifices, an ever-deepening love surfaces, finding a unique way to live on in this devastatingly beautiful work of historical fiction.”—Renee Rosen, author of Windy City Blues

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Chapters | IndieBound | Kobo

 
Review:
 

"The Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I" by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is a beautifully written story of love, loss and hope during wartime.  It's written mostly in letters and has a Downton Abbey feel to it. 

Ms. Webb and Ms. Gaynor give such a beautiful and moving portrayal of how war affects every aspect of one's life.  They show this through the letters of a few young people.  In the beginning of the war, the letters are full of excitement, a sense of adventure, pride and thoughts that the war won't last long.  As one can imagine, the letters and the people in the letters change as the war gets more serious, moves closer to home and becomes a lot longer than everyone had anticipated.  The characters have to share and communicate everything through these letters (and sometimes telegrams)--they didn't have our modern technology.  Parts of the letters in the book are blacked out--showing how even the letters are censored.  The large newspapers will show only the happy side of war and newspapers get in trouble and are censored for showing the truth.  This fact made me really angry, as it does to Evie (one of our main characters), who takes up writing for one of the newspapers.  There is such a contrast between the women's lives at home and what is actually happening on the front (as told by Evie's brother, Will, and his best friend, Thomas).  We see the war through the eyes of this trio.  Their emotions go from enthusiasm, to denial, to despair, and eventually to hope (and love makes its way in there too). 

I fell in love with the characters in this story, especially Evie and Thomas.  I went through all the emotions they went through.  At times, it was so heavy that I had to take a break from the book.  But it's such a great story, that I still really wanted to know what happened to these characters and couldn't stop thinking about them, even when I wasn't reading.  I love how Evie and Thomas become closer through letter writing and are able to say things that they wouldn't be able to say in person.  Letters and the written word are so powerful.  This is also shown through Evie's column that she writes for the war effort and the amazing response she gets. 

There are so many great themes in this books and important topics that are covered.  This is not a light read, but it is so moving and beautiful.  At times it is heart wrenching and I almost started crying (which I don’t often do with books).  My heart was on my sleeve as I approached the ending–and it did not disappoint!  I will certainly look at Christmas differently this year and will be thankful for peace, family and the opportunity to celebrate in freedom!

Content:  I give this novel a PG-13 rating.  There is the use of minor swear words.  The Lord's name is taken in vain.  There is the mention of how women are treated on the war front and talk of prostitutes.  There is a man with PTSD.  A child is born out of wedlock.

Rating:  I give this book 4 stars.

I want to thank Heather Webb, Hazel Gaynor, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, William Morrow Publishers and Harper Collins Publishers for the complimentary copies of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.


Interview with the authors:
 

Me: I want to give a warm welcome to Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb!  I’m so excited to chat with you about your newest book “Last Christmas in Paris: A Novel of World War I.”
 
Me: I really enjoyed the writing style in this book.  It was hard to think that two different people wrote it.  How did you write it with two different authors?  Did you break it up in some way or appoint who wrote what section?
 
Heather and Hazel: Thank you! We really liked the way writing letters felt authentic to the times—it’s exactly how the characters would have communicated then and this played a big role in why we chose the epistolary format. Hazel would wake up in Ireland (fiver hours ahead of Heather) and pen a letter or two from her character. Several hours later, Heather would wake in the U.S. to find mail in her inbox, and write a reply from her character, and so on. We’ve often described it as waking up to a writing prompt each day. The process felt very organic, and the story flowed. Editing, on the other hand, was a more tricky operation. We used comment bubbles and colored fonts to track our changes, and somehow, with plenty of Skype chats and coffee, it all came together.
 
We each took a character to start for the drafting phase. For subsequent drafts, we each touched every single page and helped shape the characters together.
 
Me: You are from two different countries, correct?  Was it hard to write a novel being such a long distance away from each other?  What was that experience like?
 
Heather and Hazel: Having a writing partner requires a lot of trust and commitment, navigating the pressures of individual writing projects, and the demands of kids and family. Often, one of us would contact the other to explain a delay because the kids were sick, or the heating was broken, or some other crisis got in the way. Skype chats and Google Hangouts became weekly powwows to flesh out plot snags and character arcs. But w-e really loved it! We had an absolute blast working together.
 
Me: What do you hope readers take away from this book?
 
Heather and Hazel: We hope readers take away the message that regardless of circumstance, there is always hope and love in the darkest moments. We aimed to portray a different, more personal view of a well-known event, and really wanted to pull the readers outside of their own world into Tom and Evie’s. Finally, we fell in love with writing letters all over again; the beautiful paper and pens, the time it takes to craft something heartfelt. We hope readers will send a few more hand-written cards this year and onward.
 
Me: What did your research for the novel entail?
 
Heather and Hazel: In writing Last Christmas in Paris, we wanted to explore some of the less well-known aspects of war: life in England, the mental scars as well as physical, the role of women in the war, and the Spanish Flu epidemic which struck just as the war was ending. To have access to historical records, museums and recently discovered letters to and from the Front drew us closer and closer to those very ordinary people caught up in this devastating event.
 
Hazel: While researching my short story ‘Hush’ for Fall of Poppies, I became drawn into the stories of those left behind at home, as well as the better known stories of the soldiers in the trenches. Research for  Last Christmas in Paris included plenty of trips to libraries and museums, reading a lot of historical accounts of the war, biographies and memoirs of those who had been involved, factual accounts of women on the home front, and a lot of primary source material documented in collections of letters sent from the Front to loved ones at home. Newspapers from the era were also crucial in gaining an understanding of how the war was reported.
 
Heather: My research into the Great War also began with my short story “Hour of the Bells” in which a woman who was German-born married a Frenchman and had to face an uncertain future with his death. I continued that research for Last Christmas in Paris as mentioned above, in libraries, an extensive trip to the Imperial War Museum in London, the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., and more. As a reader and a novelist, I enjoy those little gems of information that authors weave into the narrative so I sought those out, losing myself down the rabbit of hole of unusual books and artifacts. I wanted to get as close to an authentic feel for how a soldier would live and cope with such horror as possible. I dug into a cook’s recipe book from the Front--amazing what they ate!--The Wiper Times, a satirical periodical that circulated among the troops, many archived letters, and so much more. My father is a retired U.S. colonel with a deep understanding of war logistics so he was a tremendous resource as well.
 
Me: What was something that you came across in your research that surprised you or that you didn’t know before?
 
Heather and Hazel: We were surprised by how varied women’s roles were, including the Women’s Auxiliary Core and their involvement in all sorts of war-related roles, but the main thing that surprised us was how efficient and quickly letters moved to and from the Front. Often, it was a matter of only two days of turn-around time. Tens of thousands of workers joined the postal service to help with these efforts. The letters were too important for both the soldiers’ morale and the morale of those at home, and the War Office really understood this.
 
Me: Did either of you cry while writing this book?  I know I sure came close to tears several times! What a moving story!
 
Heather and Hazel: We laughed, and cried, a lot along the way! This was an emotional book in so many ways and to experience that emotion with someone else really made it very visceral and quite special.
 
Me: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!

 

About the Authors

HEATHER WEBB is the author of historical novels Becoming Josephine and Rodin’s Lover, and the anthology Fall of Poppies, which have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Cosmopolitan, Elle, France Magazine, and more, as well as received national starred reviews.  RODIN’S LOVER was a Goodreads Top Pick in 2015. Up and coming, Last Christmas in Paris, an epistolary love story set during WWI will release October 3, 2017, and The Phantom’s Apprentice, a re-imagining of the Gothic classic Phantom of the Opera from Christine Daae’s point of view releases February 6, 2018. To date, her novels have sold in ten countries. Heather is also a professional freelance editor, foodie, and travel fiend.

HAZEL GAYNOR is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Memory of Violets and The Girl Who Came Home, for which she received the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. Her third novel The Girl from the Savoy was an Irish Times and Globe & Mail Canada bestseller, and was shortlisted for the BGE Irish Book Awards Popular Fiction Book of the Year. The Cottingley Secret and Last Christmas in Paris will be published in 2017.

Hazel was selected by US Library Journal as one of ‘Ten Big Breakout Authors’ for 2015 and her work has been translated into several languages. Originally from Yorkshire, England, Hazel now lives in Ireland.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 25
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Review at Books of All Kinds
Tuesday, September 26 Review at The Lit Bitch
Wednesday, September 27 Review at Just One More Chapter
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Thursday, September 28 Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, October 2 Review at Let Them Read Books
Tuesday, October 3 Spotlight at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, October 4 Review at A Literary Vacation
Friday, October 6 Review at Library Educated
Monday, October 9 Review at A Bookish Affair
Review at Suzy Approved Books
Tuesday, October 10 Interview at A Bookish Affair
Thursday, October 12 Review at Creating Herstory
Friday, October 13 Review at Pursuing Stacie
Monday, October 16 Review at Curling up by the Fire
Tuesday, October 17 Review at Faery Tales Are Real
Wednesday, October 18 Review at The Maiden’s Court
Interview at Faery Tales Are Real
Thursday, October 19 Review at A Holland Reads
Friday, October 20 Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 2 copies of Last Christmas in Paris! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on October 20th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Direct Link for giveaway: https://gleam.io/JyNQh/last-christmas-in-paris

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Christian Girl Book Tag!

This is such a fun post.  I was tagged by Angela at Coffee&Chapters through her YouTube video.  Thanks so much Angela! 

Here's the link to the video I was tagged in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30UDBIxrRaY

Original Tag - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Giwas...

I Tag -
Rebecca Lynn Van Daniker
Rissi JC

Questions (these all have to be fiction books)-

1. Pick a book that inspired you in your walk with God or your faith in Jesus. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"Loving Luther" by Allison Pittman.  I love to read about the Reformation period and I was really inspired to read about Katherina's journey to faith. 
Read more in my review.








2. Pick a book that shows an ultimate sacrifice for someone else. (Hebrews 10:10 & Ephesians 5:2)



I know this is a classic, but "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" by C.S. Lewis.  The sacrifice gets me every time. 









3. Pick a book with your favorite love story in it. (1 John 4:8)


"Mine is the Night" by Liz Curtis Higgs.  I love this story.  This series is a retelling of the book of Ruth in the Bible.  And it's set in Scotland!! 











4. Pick a book with an epic good vs. evil battle. (Ephesians 6:12)



"Giver of Roses" by Kathleen Morgan.  It's been a long time since I read this book, but I really like this author and am still waiting for the next book in this series!





5. Pick a book that has prayer and/or bible reading in it as an essential or major element for the story. (1 Thess 5:16-18)




A lot of Melanie Dickerson's books have prayer and Bible reading as a big part of the story.  One I recently read, where the main character prayed a lot was "The Noble Servant."  Click here to read my review.










6. Pick a book that personally challenged you or that has persecution for one's faith in it. ( Matt 5:10, Luke 6:22, 1 John 3:13, John 15:18, 2 Timothy 3:12)

 "The Stonewycke Series" by Michael Phillips.  I love this author. All of his books have a very deep faith element and really make me think about my own faith.  A recent book of his I reviewed is "The Legacy" which also challenged me.  Click here for my review of that book. 






7. Pick a book where the main character is different from everyone else or stands out, or separates themselves apart for the plot. (Romans 12:14, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Peter 1:15 - 16. Colossians 3:12)




"Lady Jayne Disappears" by Joanna Davidson Politano.  In the book, the main character finds herself in a situation where she doesn't feel like she belongs or fits in.  Click here for my review. 











8. Sharing the gospel. Tell me in the comments below about your faith in Christ. About the books that encouraged you in your walk with the Lord. Let's build a community together focused on Jesus and reading with God in mind!




"Pilgrim's Progress" by John Bunyan!  I've read this book many times and a lot of the sections in my copy are highlighted.  I love seeing Christian's journey and how he deals with things like "Giant Despair" and the demons of the "Valley of the Shadow of Death".  It has helped me in hard times to apply what I'm reading to my life.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

An Amazing Debut Novel--"Lady Jayne Disappears" by Joanna Davidson Politano Review

 
 

My Review:

"Lady Jayne Disappears" by Joanna Davidson Politano is such an incredible book for so many reasons!!  I did not know anything about the author or the book going into it--except that I loved the cover and the back cover description.  This book is so well written and has such a great story with characters that you will fall in love with!

The opening of the story draws you in right away.  Ms. Politano uses vivid descriptions of Victorian England that make you feel like you are transported back in time.  There is an air of mystery and a gothic feel throughout, with hints of Dickens.   I find the premise and plot of this story fascinating and refreshing.  It is very original and well done. 

I love the characters in this story so much; each is interesting in his own right.  I’d love to gush more about the book’s plot, but it's hard to not say anything that would give the story away, so if the back cover description grabs you, you’ll love this book!  My inner bookworm was in heaven, reading about how Aurelie (our heroine), loves stories.  I love the way she thinks and interacts with others.  Aurelie also has a strong faith, prays and talks about God.  She repeats verses when she is going through hard times.  She is a character that I will not soon forget!

I highly recommend this book!  It has beautiful messages of identity, belonging and faith.  The mystery, twists and turns kept me reading until the last page.  I can't wait for the next book this author writes! 

Content: This is a clean read.

Rating:  I give this book 5 stars

Genre: Christian historical fiction; Victorian; Mystery; Romance

I want to thank Joanna Davidson Politano, Revell, and LibraryThing Early Reviewers for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.

Goodreads Description:

When Aurelie Harcourt's father dies in debtor's prison, he leaves her just two things: his wealthy family, whom she has never met, and his famous pen name, Nathaniel Droll. Her new family greets her with apathy and even resentment. Only the quiet houseguest, Silas Rotherham, welcomes her company.

When Aurelie decides to complete her father's unfinished serial novel, writing the family into the story as unflattering characters, she must keep her identity as Nathaniel Droll hidden while searching for the truth about her mother's disappearance--and perhaps even her father's death.

Author Joanna Davidson Politano's stunning debut set in Victorian England will delight readers with its highly original plot, lush setting, vibrant characters, and reluctant romance.



 
About the Author:  I’m a work-from-home mom of one super cute baby girl (pictures to prove it) and I write novels. I married my hero Vince, who is my love and my polar opposite. I write, he tears it up with the red pen. I break cars and other mechanical things, he puts them back together. He’s nailed the “speak the truth” thing, and I bring the “in love” part. But the real spark to our marriage is that he does not like chocolate and I…  like it a normal amount. We love and live from our little house in the woods near Lake Michigan, which is undergoing a constant renovation.


To purchase the book click here

To visit the author's website click here