Risen by Angela Hunt

Risen by Angela Hunt is a novelization of the movie by Kevin Reynlds and Paul Aiello.  It's a Biblical Fiction story of the evens following Jesus death and resurrection before his ascension back to heaven.  While the Biblical line of the events that happened due portray accurate characters, the characters of Roman Tribune Clavius and the Jewish girl Rachel are entirely fictional. 

Clavius as been assigned by Pilate to hunt down the "missing" body of Jewish.  He also is commanded to stop the followers of Jesus from spreading the lies that Jesus had risen from the dead.  Along the way he encounters many Biblical people, including the disciples.    He also encounters many people who doubt the Jesus and what happened.

Clavius also has a Jewish girl that he says on a regular basis.  Rachel is a widow women who has refused to her dead husbands brother as the family desires.  She stays in her home and supports herself by making and selling bread.  Rachel seems to be a very bitter person and has a hard time following what she is to do, but goes about it in motions with no meaning whatsoever.

Both Clavius and Rachel are changed by the end of the story by what and who they encounter.  They both start to question what they believe and the truth about what has happened.

Angela Hunt has done a great job in writing this story.  I can't say how well it lines up with the movie as I haven't really seen previews for it and I don't go to movies.  While I understand that this is Biblical Fiction, I did struggle with some ideas of what happened, as I highly doubt those things really did happen when it comes to Clavius and Rachel.  When it comes to Bible Fiction, the story line should be believable based on the Bible and known historical events of the time.  Some of the things in here I doubt really happened.    I guess maybe I'm just picky when it comes to the telling of Biblical events, especially when it comes to the greatest story of all times - our risen Savior. 

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Where She Belongs by Johnnie Alexander

 

 Where She Belongs by Johnnie Alexander tells the story of Shelby Kincaid, a widow with the two young girls, tries to rebuild by life by planning on buying the family homestead of Misty Willows.  She was to restore the abandoned home and raise her girls.  She wants to bring back the memories of her childhood days there before her family lost the home and her and parents left the country to be missionaries. 

AJ Sullivan never wanted to inherit Misty Willows.  His grandfather considered it a punishment as AJ didn't follow what his grandfather wanted him to do.  He's very happy to let Shelby have her home back.  

Shelby and AJ don't start off very well!  Even though they only seem to argue at the beginning, they can't seem to keep each other off their minds.

Shelby soon realizes that there are people who want to take her home from her.  Will she be able to maintain her family home?  What will happen as she starts to remember what happened before she left?  Will AJ help her keep her home?

I enjoyed the interactions between Shelby and AJ.  While you can see her heart is still broken from the loss of her husband, you can also see her desire to fill the empty hole in heart someway.  I enjoyed the family history between both of the characters, and especially the history behind the home itself.

While I was reading the book, I did have one small thing that bugged me.  When AJ rescues Shelby and her daughters during a rain storm and takes them to her home, she only mentions needing a car seat for her youngest daughter, but not the oldest.  At about six years old, that oldest daughter needs a booster seat.  She's to young and to small to be without one as well.  Other then that one small thing, I enjoyed the rest of the book!

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Petterson and Kimberley Woodhouse

 

Lillian Porter has always dreamed of following her mother's dream of going west.  Her grandfather won't have anything to do with her if she does.  Lillian has accepted a position as a nanny in the town of Angels Camp, California.   When she arrives and tells people why she is there, they instantly tell her to get back on the stage coach and go back to where she came from!  Lillian struggles to understand what the people are saying about her employer Woodward (Woody) Colton.

While there is a darkness in the family, Lillian falls in love with her charge.  Seven year old Jimmy.  Jimmy has spoken a word since his mother was killed over a year ago.  The murder threatened to kill him as well if he said anything and he takes that literally.   As she begins to work with him, Jimmy slowly begins to come out of his shell, but he still won't talk.

When the housekeeper Mrs. Goodman (who hates her first name!) is brutally attacked in the home, the town suspects the worse again.  Nothing of the truth that Lillian tries to explain will be listened to.  Slowly though some people do start to believe, but will it be enough?  Will Lillian be able to clear up everything that is going on?  Is her life in danger?  Will Jimmy ever talk again and say what he saw?

What a wonderfully told story!  Your heart aches for the deep hurt that Woody and Jimmy are feeling and you want to be able to step through the pages of the book and stand along side them.  You can almost feel the hatred of the townspeople rolling of the pages.

I loved the character of Harry.  He is such a sweet young man, who only wants to help people, but so many people won't accept him.  It was such a struggle then as it is even still today.

The book started really moving at the end and was very hard to put down!  Tracie Petterson and Kimberley Woodhouse have done a remarkable job!

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

The Midwife's Choice by Delia Parr

 

 The Midwife's Choice by Delia Parr is the second book in the At Home in Trinity series.  It continues the story of Martha Cade who serves as a midwife to her home town of Trinity set in the early 1830s.

Martha loves her job and what she does.  She is finding that more and more people are wanting to turn away from the traditional ways of medicine and instead go to the doctors.  Martha is still balancing things with the new doctor in town, but realizes soon many that came to her will soon go to him.

Martha is overjoyed that her daughter who ran away is finally on her way home.  However, she first delivers a still born baby of Nancy Clifford.  Right from the start Martha is suspicious of what is going on in the home.  She wants to help Nancy, but how is she going to be able to?

When her daughter Martha does return home, along with June Morgan who accompanied her, she is in for a huge surprise when she realizes her daughter doesn't want to stay.  Martha struggles with allowing her daughter to change from that young girl she wants her to stay to becoming a young women. 

Martha also discovers that her former beau, and someone she still cares for, Mayor Thomas Dillon is always getting ready to leave.    She struggles to know if she should accept his proposal.

Throughout the book the heartache and struggles Martha is feeling is clearly seen.  As she sees so many people in her beloved town leave, she wonders what will happen to the town and to her.  She has a strong desire to help people including Nancy.  Will she be fully able to help Nancy in the way she needs to?

Delia Parr has written another remarkable story!  I felt like once again I was welcomed in Trinity and all the people there.  I love how the "sisterhood" is formed and how they all came together to help one particular person out.  The history of what it was like for a women in the same situation of Nancy was where everything was kept so secretive and never talked about.

When I finished the book I was ready (and still am) to pick up the next book!  I can't wait to read more about Martha, Victoria, Thomas and the sisters! 

This book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.   I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund

The Undaunted Hope by Jody Hedlund is set in the 1870's in upper Michigan.  Tessa Taylor has arrived in a small mining town to serve as the town's teacher.  One of the first things she learned is they were expecting a male teacher.  She has to fight for her rights to stay.

As she starts teaching the children all learn to love her and she especially care for one of her older students Henry who is a very bright boy.  Two of the students are the children of the widowed lighthouse keeper.  Michael, along with his brother Alex, both take care of the lighthouse and both fall hard for Tessa.  Tessa soon realizes that someone has been watching her.  What do they want from her?  Do they know of her past and the mistake she made that she is desperately trying to put behind her?  Could it be Percival Updegraff, the man who runs the town with a iron fist and no one can do anything to go against him?

Jody Hedlund has done a remarkable job!  I absolutely loved the sarcastic humor and banter between Tessa and Alex.  She does a fantastic job of drawing you into the story.  You feel for each of the characters as all the events unfold.  She draws you and and you can see the small town, the lighthouse and each of the characters.

The banter between Alex and Tessa is wonderfully done.  You can feel the  tension between the two brothers and what Alex felt when he makes a decision, he believes to be the right one.

I absolutely loved how at the end, after the story ends, she tells of the real town the story was based off.  She tells the story of the teacher Tessa was inspired from.  Not only that but her prized student Henry and the man who ran the town were also based off of real people. (And I love what the town did to the real Percival!)  It made the story come alive even more.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers for the sole purpose of this review.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.

The Mistriss of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz

The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz is set in Virginia just after the end of the Revolutionary War when America is emerging as a new nation.  Sophie Menzies is eager to hear news of her brother and what might have happened to him.  She waits for news from him in her home at Three Chimneys.  While she waits for him her neighbor, and war hero, General Seamus Ogilvy arrives home to his home at Tall Acre. 

Sophie fall in love with Seamus and his daughter Lily Cate.  She becomes more involved in their loves and Seamus approaches her with the idea of a marriage of convenience as his daughter is in need of a new mother and Sophie needs a way to save her home and estate. 

Through it all Sophie's kind and sweet spirit prevails over all.  The history of the time period is clearly seen through the formation of America with the plantation owners, slaves and the results of the war.  Through everything that is happening Sophie and Seamus are falling in love with each other, but then something from the past comes back and changes everything.  Will their love hold up?

I found the history throughout this book fascinating, especially when it comes to their marriage.  Laura Frantz does a remarkable job of drawing you into her story and making you feel as if you are watching the very events unfold before your eyes.  She weaves her story in such a way that it comes alive and you can see it for yourself.  She left me with wanting to know more about what happens to Sophie, Seamus and Lily Cate!

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are entirely my own.