Category: Book Reviews

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In the SHADOW of the RIVER, by Ann H. Gabhart, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

In the shadow of the river, the mystery of Jacci’s life plays out.

In the Shadow of the River
In the Shadow of the River

The mystery of Jacci Reed’s life plays out in the shadow of the river. Who is she, and where did she come from? Her true identity is really a mystery, to be revealed gradually in the shadow of the river.

Gabe Kingston becomes her protector from the first time they meet, under scary circumstances, when he is 13 and she’s one brave five-year-old.

I love this intriguing tale set in the late 1800s on the rivers of southern states. Before the time of roads and automobiles, paddlewheel boats transported people and goods and even entertainment from one town to another along rivers and tributaries.

Families, such as they were, worked and lived on these boats. Not a fancy life, though in some respects romantic and adventurous.

Characters come to life in the shadow of the river.

Ann Gabhart brings characters alive so readers can experience riverboat life and its dangers and joys in the shadow of the river. Not everyone is cut out for such a lifestyle, unmoored from a land address. But the people running the boats become family, some for the season, others for a lifetime. And you know how families are. Some members likeable, some not always, and some with a mysterious past. Who to trust?

As in previous books by Ann Gabhart, she excels in writing characters and setting, and intriguing plots keep you reading. I find the pacing comfortable, easy to follow, and not confusing. In the dark shadows, characters find strength in turning to God and trusting their lives to Him.

Thanks to Revell for sending me this beautiful paperback for my honest review.

Learn more about Ann Gabhart and her writing at www.annhgabhart.com.

Click on this link to see further information and reviews or to purchase: https://amzn.to/3OL1aiN As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

One more link; click on this one to see what your reader friends on Goodreads say: Pearl Fredericksen’s review of In the Shadow of the River | Goodreads

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the SWINDLER’S DAUGHTER, by Stephenia H. McGee, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

The swindler’s daughter never even knew he was still alive.

the SWINDLER'S DAUGHTER
the SWINDLER’S DAUGHTER

The swindler’s daughter never knew him. In fact, her high society mother always claimed to be a widow.

Suddenly Lillian Doyle is sent to a small country town to claim an inheritance from him. Mid-twenties and away from her mother for the first time in her life. People staring at her fashionable clothing and taking her propriety as pretense.

What kind of person had her father been? And what is the nature of her inheritance? Furthermore, how will she fit in (or not) with her father’s family and their close friends, whose manners, thoughts, and ways are so different from hers?

Such strange choices the swindler’s daughter must now make.

The swindler’s daughter doesn’t have a clue what she’s been plunged into, but her life is turned upside down. Will she choose to return to a pretentious high society life in Atlanta, or fall in love with these sincere, straightforward, country people? What are the dangers?

Will she be seen as herself, or as a pretentious city woman, or as the swindler’s daughter?

In the context of Historical Fiction concerning smuggling moonshine during prohibition, Stephenia McGee portrays a complex picture of the times and the consequences of prohibition on families. Interwoven into the story is a romantic thread of attraction and love developing between two opposites, as well as a clear spiritual message about trusting God and waiting on Him in prayer.

Roles of mothers.

How apropos, with three mothers playing important roles in the story, that the book is being published right around Mother’s Day. Since my sons weren’t with me that afternoon, I enjoyed sitting on the beach reading, inspired to be a godly, steady, influencing force in the lives of those around me like Jonah Peterson’s mother, Melanie.

Thanks to Revell for sending me this delightful book so I could write my unbiased review. Stephenia H. McGee has a unique voice with pacing that’s easy to follow, and an amusing sense of humor. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Learn more about the author at www.stepheniamcgee.com. Click here to find out more about the book and to purchase: https://amzn.to/3BAmtMt. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Counterfeit Love, by Crystal Caudill, 2022, Kregel Publications

Counterfeit love is worse than counterfeit money.

Cou;nterfeit Love
Counterfeit Love

Counterfeit love is an even worse farce than counterfeit money. It’s a crime against one’s own heart. Why would anyone do that? Perhaps for security?

Theresa finds she must question her motives and her heart when she realizes that the man she has promised to marry is not the man she truly loves. But the one she still loves has repeatedly told her there is no future for them. So, what’s a gal to do?

And WHY has God put her in this situation? If God truly loved her, would he have allowed her parents to die? And many more fates that befall her? Is there anyone at all she can trust? Must she fight all her battles alone? Can she still believe in God even if he continually seems to fail her?

Counterfeit money was common. If you need money, why not just print some?

This novel, on the surface, centers around counterfeit money–a real thing in 1884 Cincinnati, where the story takes place. Hidden danger and intrigue keep you flipping pages as characters escape one danger after another right to the end. But what really gets you pondering are the dangers of the heart.

And in case you didn’t take time while reading to consider such reflections, Crystal Caudill includes a list of discussion questions. They’d be perfect for a book club, or to sift through soul stuff during your own quiet meditations.

The writing

I love Crystal Caudill’s writer’s voice. It’s easy to follow and keeps the story moving. Her descriptions are unique, and she throws in good words, like ‘catarrh’ and ‘thwack’. “Catarrh or not, she could no longer delay the completion of her commissions.” “Something large thwacked her back…”

She appeals to animal lovers with Theresa’s odd menagerie, from Cordon Bleu the chicken to Tipsy the three-legged goat. However, though Theresa finds comfort in her animals, readers may not. I won’t give away spoilers by divulging their fate. It’s no worse, though, than the fate of some of the human characters. The story reads like a thriller movie. Verging briefly on horror before returning to scenes of tender, self-sacrificing protection between characters, and yes, even some swoony love scenes.

Crystal Caudill is a very personable author, who loves to connect with readers. Find out more about her and her writing at www.crystalcaudill.com/books.

My thanks for this beautiful paperback, which I had the good fortune to win through a give-away for Caudill’s newsletter subscribers. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and hope to read the other two in the series.

To preview or order this book, or the series of three, click here: Counterfeit Love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Second Time Around, by Melody Carlson, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Second time around for this old decrepit shop

Second Time Around
Second Time Around

Should there be a second time around for Mallory’s grandmother’s decrepit but quaint shop and suite above? It was too charming not to keep. Mallory Farrell, an interior designer, saw potential.

Besides, this place held nostalgic memories for her. Her grandmother must have left it to her for a reason.

But the whole seaside village was losing interest to tourists in favor of more appealing towns. Apathy had taken hold among the residents. And Grayson Matthews had already dreamed up a new mall as a revitalization scheme. It was going to be right here if she would sell him the building so he could tear it down.

What! Tear it down? No, no, no. That caused Mallory to dig in her heels. She saw romance in the old building. A peculiar definition of romance that she’d once found. She wrote it in calligraphy, framed it, and hung it on the wall.

Romance: A quality or feeling of mystery, excitement. Remoteness from everyday life.

I won’t spoil the story for you by telling you what happens to Mallory’s romantic, Parisian vision for the village. You’ll have to read it for yourself if you want to know. I’ll just tell you that I enjoyed very much being transported into Mallory’s world. Melody Carlson describes vividly the scenes and emotions of the characters.

Second time around for Mallory

I could relate to Mallory, a divorced mother of adult children, trying her best to make a go of her life. The seemingly insurmountable challenges she faces. Difficulties with people and how she handles them with a godly perspective, a combination of prayer, kindness, and drawing the line where necessary.

Thank you to Revell for choosing me to review this beautiful paperback. It’s always a pleasure to share my honest opinions and feedback. I would recommend the book to people who like interior decorating and charming shops in seaside villages. And Mallory’s peculiar definition of romance.

Click here: Second Time Around to see the book and other reviews on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Click here: Pearl Fredericksen’s review of Second Time Around | Goodreads to see my review and others on goodreads.

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the SOUND of LIGHT, by Sarah Sundin, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

The Sound of Light
The Sound of Light

The sound of light. It’s a play on words. Lyd-af-Lys, in Danish. The 10-mile-wide strait of water between Denmark and Sweden, reflecting ever-changing sparkling light.

It’s the theme of Henrik Ahlefeldt’s life. In fact, he’s taken on the persona of Havmand the merman, inspired by the little mermaid Havfrue, whose statue sits on a rock gazing to sea.

But all of that is hidden beneath his cover name and person–Hemming Andersen. Why? Because the Nazis have taken over Denmark, and he has life-threatening secrets. But alas, he meets an attractive scientist, Dr. Elsebeth Jensen. A physicist from California working for Nels Bohr at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Copenhagen.

She attempts to keep peace by silence, but Hemming teaches her to speak out. And Hemming, who has given up his voice, must judiciously speak out again. They, together with the majority of Danish people, participate in saving Danish Jews from deportation and death.

Sarah Sundin reveals this important history and makes it personal to readers. As I read, I identified with the characters and learned along with them. Sometimes it’s brave to keep silent, but sometimes it’s actually cowardly. There are times when one must accept the risks and speak out in order to help others. Not only speak out, but take action.

I chose The Sound of Light from Revell so I could write my unbiased review. I had wanted for years to read one of Sarah Sundin’s WW II novels, and am so glad I finally did. Thank you to Revell for the beautiful paperback.

Get the novel here: https://amzn.to/3lQbny3. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Read other reviews on Goodreads at: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin | Goodreads.

Visit the author at www.sarahsundin.com to learn more about her, her awards, research and novels.

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Famous for a Living, by Melissa Ferguson, 2023, Thomas Nelson

Famous for a Living by [Melissa Ferguson]
Famous for a Living

Fame and Fortune

Cat Cranwell is famous for a living. That is, until disaster strikes. She and her business partner Bobby Braswell are launching Club, a new social media app. Bobby promises it will soon outdo Instagram and Facebook.

The extravagant celebration party is held on Cat’s 30th birthday, in her newly acquired posh Manhattan apartment. As it’s about to begin, her woodsy park ranger Uncle Terry and his assistant ranger Zaiah turn up at the door. Just as her best friend Selena sets off a calamity with the caterer. In the middle of Bobby urgently trying to convince her to sign an international contract written in several different languages.

Fast Paced

Yes, Melissa Ferguson really knows how to move a story along at a breakneck pace. The whole story is written in first person. At first, I felt uncomfortable in Cat’s skin, as she’s not much like me. But when she was compelled to leave the city and take refuge in the mountains of Montana with her uncle, I began to feel there might be hope for her.

Will Cat be able to remain famous for a living? Or will she even want to? I won’t spoil the story by telling you. There are a few twists and turns. I had to go back and re-read the beginning before writing this review. The first time I skimmed and missed the details that launched Cat into dire straits. You have to read slowly enough to take in everything going on in those first few paragraphs because it’s all important in the story.

This is the second book by Melissa Ferguson that I’ve read. I recommend it to readers who like a fast pace with humor and some underlying serious thought. Thanks to Net Galley for providing me the ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

Famous for a Living is due to be published May 16, 2023, but is available now to pre-order at https://amzn.to/3JDF3Zp. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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the ROSE and the THISTLE, by Laura Frantz, 2023, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

The Rose and the Thistle
The Rose and the Thistle

The Rose and the Thistle is an intriguing romantic fiction of Scotch and English history in 1715.

Times were changing. The Jacobite Catholic Stuart clan had been ousted in favor of a Hanoverian Protestant King–a foreigner who spoke German rather than English. The Stuarts fled to France, but Catholic Jacobites in Scotland and northern England rose up to fight.

Blythe’s life is in danger, as the devout Catholic daughter of an activist Jacobite Duke of Northumbria. Her father sends her to the safest place he can–Protestant supporters of the king who are family friends in a castle in Scotland.

Friendship trumps politics and religion, at least in this case. The fathers scheme for their heirs to marry, but Everard wants nothing of it. “Tis a Scots lass I seek, Faither. Not a sassenach. Not an Englishwoman.” Haha! What will happen between these two opposites–a refined English rose forced to take refuge with this wild Scotch thistle?

This is the second novel I’ve read by Laura Frantz. She’s a lover of words, especially ancient colloquialisms, and she uses them well. I referred often to the glossary of eighteenth-century Scottish terms at the beginning of the book. She also paints fascinating word-pictures describing settings and characters.

I enjoyed learning this meticulously researched history that ultimately helped shape the British Empire. Thanks to Revell for sending me the Rose and the Thistle, with its gorgeous cover, for the purpose of an honest review. I loved it and would choose another Laura Frantz novel any day.

Visit the author’s website at www.laurafrantz.net.

Order the ROSE and the THISTLE in Canada by clicking the below link to Amazon.ca. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

https://amzn.to/3ZLMMtZ

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HONOR’S REFUGE, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group

Honor's Refuge
Honor’s Refuge

Honor’s Refuge is the third book in the Love & Honor series. Personally, I liked it even better than the first one, Honor Bound, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group). I didn’t read the second book, but they work as stand-alone novels too, so you don’t have to read them in order.

Whereas Honor Bound focuses on tribal warfare in Africa, Honor’s Refuge is all in America and focuses on a shelter for abuse victims. That’s a topic of special interest to me because I have both stayed in one and worked in one.

I appreciate the way the author skillfully balances suspense, better times, and romance. Important things happen during those better times between adrenaline and other hormone arousals. Things like other kinds of relationships, realizations, and God’s goodness.

This story continues with the life of Phil Osbourne, one of the characters in Honor Bound, and introduces Melissa Braxton, who runs the shelter. Melissa has been wondering where her younger sister ended up ever since they were tragically separated at an early age. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but trust me, the story is good. It kept me reading till I finished it, way past my bedtime.

At the end of the novel, there are thought-provoking questions to discuss with other readers or just think through yourself. And tasty recipes to try.

Connect with the author at HALLEEBRIDGEMAN.COM. Find this and other Revell books at www.revellbooks.com.

I chose and received this book from the publisher to give my honest review. Thank you, Revell.

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the SECRETS of EMBERWILD, by Stephenia H. McGee, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America.

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America. A young woman and her horse. Family expectations, loyalties, needs and desires. Secrets brought to light.

Horses, women's rights, love in 1905
the SECRETS of EMBERWILD

What will become of Nora and her dearly loved horse now that her father has died? Her uncle takes charge, but something doesn’t seem right.

At the same time, Silas turns up, asking questions about his father’s death 15 years ago and the horse that went missing.

A series of suspicious accidents occur. Something is wrong, but what is really going on, and why? And who is the culprit?

In 1905, women’s roles and men’s roles were distinct. Men took care of horses. Women cooked and kept the house. But Nora’s horse is all she loves.

Bringing history to life

Horses, women’s rights, love and marriage in 1905 America. Stephania McGee brings to life the difficulties of an independent woman of the era. It wasn’t easy to step out and make choices. Women were expected to obey and fit into the lives cut out for them. Nora had to consider her mother, the reputation of her family, and her own needs for protection and provision. But what about the needs of her heart?

McGee has put a lot of research into the writing of this novel. We learn about horses and racing at the time, as well as the lives people lived. I particularly enjoyed the way she describes places, horses and people. The mystery combined with threads of romance is reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s style, with the real culprit revealed at the end.

Thank you, Revell, for sending me a beautiful copy of this book to review. I’m glad I chose it. I recommend it to horse lovers and readers of historical women’s fiction.

This book can be purchased at Chapters.indigo.ca, by clicking here.

Check out Goodreads reviews here.

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Honor Bound, by Hallee Bridgeman, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

First in Honor series by Hallee Bridgeman
Honor Bound

Medical Missionary meets Captain

Medical missionary meets special forces captain in an African jungle. He kills to save her from a terrorizing warlord. That’s the mix.

Cynthia Myers, the missionary doctor, is first repeled by, then attracted to Captain Rick Norton. They’re on opposite sides of the fence; her side being love and mercy, his killing the enemy.

The author successfully explores the boundaries between the two. Must they stay on opposite sides, or is there a way they can meet in the middle? Is killing ever justified? Is there a place for Christian warriors to kill enemies?

Hallee Bridgeman, via the soul-searching heroine, clarifies these issues in the minds of readers. She speaks from first-hand knowledge as the wife and daughter of warriors. I personally found it helpful in sorting out my own stance.

Are they just too different?

Bridgeman also brings out the dichotomy between values and ways of thinking in different cultures and classes of people. The heroine struggles to find a place to fit in when she returns to America. Will this medical missionary resolve her own prejudices and acknowledge her love for Captain Rick Norton?

At the back of the book, the author provides a list of thought-provoking questions for a book club. This will surely lead to interesting discussions.

She also shares recipes for delicious-sounding home made hamburgers and potato chips, the favorite foods of the main characters.

I’m glad I chose this thought-provoking novel from the ones Revell offered me to review. Beautiful cover, too. Thank you, Revell.

Meet Hallee Bridgeman at HALLEEBRIDGEMAN.COM.

My Canadian friends can buy the book at indigo.ca. Click here.

See my review and others on GoodReads.

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when the morning glory blooms, by Cynthia Ruchti, 2013, Abingdon Press

when the morning glory blooms

when the morning glory blooms isn’t about morning glories. But they do thread through this novel. The morning glories represent life and seeds of life.

It’s about Single Mothers

The novel centres around unwed mothers from the 1890s to present times. Starting from the point of view of the mother of a teen mom in 2012, it jumps back and forth between that family and their friends, a young pregnant single woman in 1951, and an elderly woman telling her story of starting a home for unwed mothers in the 1890s. It’s interesting to see what has changed over time and what has stayed much the same.

The author

Cynthia Ruchti is an acclaimed author and speaker, and is now an agent with Books & Such Agency as well. I met her online a year ago when I attended the American Christian Fiction Writers Zoom conference, and I asked for an interview regarding the novel I’ve been working toward getting published. I didn’t know at the time that she had also written a novel centred around a teen mom. I’ve been meaning to read it ever since she told me about it. What a privilege and honour to have had that opportunity to communicate with her. Of course my first-time, as yet unpublished novel cannot compare with hers. But I so appreciate her feedback and tips, and am glad now to have read her novel along the same theme.

Sort of the same, but not exactly (as the saying goes)

when the morning glory blooms portrays lives of single mothers over three eras, whereas my novel sticks to the contemporary experiences of one particular teen mom. Both include the mother of the teen as one of the ‘pov’ (Point of View) characters, but in her novel the teen mother is not a pov character, whereas in my novel she is the Main Character. Both of our books portray the stress the family goes through, and the sometimes hypocritical reactions of the church.

While my novel begins with the Main Character as an adult reflecting back on her teen years, then goes back to tell her story, when the morning glory blooms jumps back and forth between three time periods and stories throughout the book.

I love desciption in a novel. Cynthia Ruchti uses many similes in this story to make the writing vivid. I’m not so adept at that; my description is pretty straightforward. Perhaps I need to use more similes, but they tend to throw my thoughts off the storyline.

We all got here through pregnancy

Since the beginning of time, pregnancy has been how the earth is populated, whether within the parameters of marriage or not. Every one of us has made mistakes and needs God’s grace. Unwed mothers and their babies particularly need the help and support of the church and their families. I recommend reading when the morning glory blooms to gain an inside view of such situations.

If you live here in Nanaimo and attend First Baptist Church, you can borrow when the morning glory blooms from the library. I asked if they had it, so they ordered it. Thank you Juanita.

To learn more about Cynthia Ruchti, visit www.cynthiaruchti.com.

Visit www.AbingdonPress.com to sign up for their fiction newsletter, read author interviews, and post a comment about when the morning glory blooms.

See my review and others on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4970713366.

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The Last Way Home, by Liz Johnson, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

A Hockey Player Returns Home

The Last Way Home
The Last Way Home

The Last Way Home tells the story of Eli Ross, an NHL hockey player who returns home to Prince Edward Island after more than a decade away.

It’s complicated. Why had he never returned, even for a visit, before now? I don’t want to spoil it for readers by giving away reasons.

Will his brothers and mother accept him? He doesn’t expect them to, but he has nowhere else to go.

And then there’s Violet Donaghy, a young lady who, he finds, his family has taken under wing as a family member. She’s cold to him, and extremely secretive. Which he can’t blame her for. After all, he’s not telling anyone his own secrets either.

No sooner does he arrive home, than a disaster occurs, and he decides to prove his integrity by pitching in to help. Helping Violet is like trying to help a snarling cat. But he ignores the snarling and persists. You’ll have to read it to see how that goes.

Plot and Writing Style

The plot seems to fit into a Prodigal Son trope. Both Eli and Violet carry a lot of angst resulting from years of hidden guilty feelings.

Despite his unrelenting efforts, Eli seems to be stuck on a train headed for doom. Will he be able to ditch it in the end?

The story is compelling, but it took me reading on a ways before I began to really like it. Revell asked me for an honest review, so here you have it. To be honest, I’m wondering whether authors these days are trying so hard to ‘show’ rather than ‘tell’, or to stay in a ‘deep point of view’, that the reader is left feeling a bit boggled at times. For example, instead of simply saying that a character felt anxious, we read that her stomach hit the floor. The first time this happened in the book, it took me a while to figure out whether it was literal or a figure of speech. And that was just the start. Both main characters really had problems with their stomachs dropping, hitting the ground, sinking or twisting.

The Last Way Home causes one to rethink secrets along with Eli and Violet. Is divulging them the best thing to do? Or could it cause more harm than good?

Learn more about the author and her books at LizJohnsonBooks.com.

Read other reviews of The Last Way Home on Goodreads by clicking here.

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a complicated kindness, by Miriam Toews, 2004, Vintage Canada (Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto)

A Teenager in a Mennonite Community

a complicated kindness
a complicated kindness

This kindness is definitely complicated! Miriam Toews, in first person narrative, describes the life of a teenage girl in a Canadian Mennonite community.

Please don’t assume all Canadian Mennonite communities are like this one. It’s not at all the same as the small prairie town that my mother grew up in, which is largely composed of Mennonites.

A Bit of History

The Mennonites are a people group with an interesting history. Basically, they are followers of Menno Simons, who, in 1536 broke away from the Catholic church during the Protestant Reformation. He lived in Friesland, an area around the border of Holland and Germany. The Mennonites later migrated to Russia (now Ukraine), and later escaped as refugees to Canada and other parts of North and South America.

Canada has many Mennonite communities, and churches. The different communities have evolved in various ways–some are very strict in resisting change, while others embrace change just like any other Christian group.

The Mouth is a Power-hungry Cultish Leader

a complicated kindness depicts a small prairie community dominated by one cultish leader of their one Mennonite church. This man, who the main character Nomi Nickel calls The Mouth, controls the people of the town. At least so it appears.

The book reads like a diary written by Nomi. We learn from it that although The Mouth manages to control much of what goes on, he cannot control people’s hearts and minds. Rather than this cultish control creating a peaceful community isolated from the rest of the world, it rips apart families and hearts and lives.

I noticed years ago that deception is most effective when mixed with truth. That’s how people get caught up in cults. Lured in by truth and goodness, they find themselves entrapped by power-hungry leaders. The Mouth is this kind of a leader. Please know that not all Mennonite groups or churches have this type of leaders. Menno Simons did not start a cult.

Underneath it all Lies a Complicated Kindness

Nomi, as a teen, realizes and resents the trap she lives in. Her dream is to escape to New York. However, as her teen years progress through the depressing gradual loss of everything meaningful to her, she also realizes the undercurrent of a complicated kindness that also exists here. Maybe she’ll stay after all.

Click on this link to connect to reviews and discussion on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13374.A_Complicated_Kindness?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=kU3AHS20aR&rank=1

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THE EXTRAORDINARY DEATHS OF MRS. KIP, by SARA BRUNSVOLD, 2022, Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

Inspiring and Thought-provoking

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip
The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip features an indomitable woman, who through her generous spirit of love, instigated and inspired many others.

Woven into the story is the poignant history in the late 1970s of the immigration of a large group of Laotian refugees to Kansas City.

The author cleverly pieces into this novel the points she is trying to get across through the life-changing experience of reporter Aidyn Kelley as she interviews Clara Kip.

Reading it will cause you to ponder many things about life. How turning your desires over to God can open doors to unexpected blessings for yourself and others. How death is only a step in the continuation of life. And much more.

Personally Relatable

I can personally relate to most everything in this book. I’ll just share a few instances. As a writer I can relate to Aidyn. And I can relate to many of Mrs. Kip’s experiences.

She, in the process of her own death, showers God’s love on another person in the hospice. The detailed descriptions of the end of life in the book brought to mind the same things my late husband went through. He passed into heaven exactly two years ago today. Like Clara Kip, he was quite a character, also refusing a wheelchair and walking around on his own until he fell so many times that he was confined to his bed. He joked with staff and friends, and even had me bring his guitar so he could entertain them with hymns. Sadly, his ability to do so only lasted a couple of days.

Clara Kip inspired the immigration and integration of Laotian refugees. In the 1980s the church I was a member of sponsored refugees from Viet Nam. Now in 2022, my church is in process of sponsoring refugees from war-torn Ukraine. We are gearing up to help them with housing and provisions as well as English and spiritual nourishment.

Hopefully I’ve given you enough of a taste of what The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip is about to interest you, without giving away too many spoilers. My thanks to the publisher for sending me the paperback version to review. I’m glad I chose it.

Click on the Links

Revell has an on-line book club now, called Beyond the Book, where you can discuss books with authors and readers. Find it at facebook.com/groups/RevellBeyondtheBook.

Connect with the author at SARABRUNSVOLD.COM.

Buy the book here:

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip

This website is a participant in the Indigo Affiliate Program which allows it to earn commissions from Indigo if you make a purchase on indigo.ca after linking through this website.

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The Paris Library, by Janet Skeslien Charles, 2021, Simon & Schuster Canada

Authentic History Portrayed in a Dual Timeline Novel

The Paris Library

The Paris Library is based on the actual American Library in Paris. The author worked there as Programs Manager in 2010. She now divides her time between Paris and Montana, the other setting in the book.

The story is effectively written as a dual timeline novel. Young Lily, growing up in smalltown Montana, is fascinated by the mysterious Odile, the widow next door. They become fast friends, and Odile’s story of working in the Paris library during WWII emerges. Amazingly, the dedicated staff and volunteers kept the library open throughout the war. The Author’s Note at the end of the book fills in more details about the real people she based the characters on, plus other facts about the library that she didn’t include in the story.

The Personal WWII Within Each of Us

The Paris Library is about so much more than history, though. It’s about relationships–family, friends, lovers. Coworkers and community. Betrayal and forgiveness. The power of the tongue, for good and for evil. Most of us reading The Paris Library have not lived in the centre of a major war. Although the blatant evils of war are obvious, we often fail to see the evil in ourselves, caused by just a few words of betrayal that slip out of our mouths unintentionally. The war opened Odile’s eyes to her own guilt, and she is able to pass on the awareness to Lily before she ruins her own relationships.

I was lucky to find The Paris Library in a little free library on the roadside. Thank you to whoever left it there. Such a worthwhile read.

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