The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury

The Christmas Ring by Karen Kingsbury
4 Stars 

I really enjoyed this Christmas read! It was sweet, hope-filled and has small town charm, Christmas magic, emotional depth...all the THINGS! We follow a military widow, Vanessa, carrying her grief and the hope of finding her family's lost heirloom, The Christmas Ring. Her journey is authentic and I loved the relationship with her daughter. With so many books having toxic relationships these days with mothers and daughters, it was such a breath of fresh air that they were best friends together in their adult lives. Really inspiring. 

We see Vanessa finding love again with the antiques dealer, Ben, as they have quite the growing friendship together. 

A little twist with the ring makes things very interesting! 

If you love a sweet, clean, Christian Christmas read, pick this up! Karen always add layered, emotional depth to her stories and I thought this was a very nice family read.

Really excited to see the movie!

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing a complimentary copy to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7956600664
Baker: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/667153
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4onoguf
 

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Rescued Heart by Angela Hunt

 

 Rescued Heart by Angela Hunt

Book 1 in The Matriarchs Series
2 Stars

Rescued Heart is the first book in Angela Hunt’s new biblical fiction series and this book explored the lives of Abraham and Sarah. The story is well written, rich in historical detail and gives readers an imaginative look at what life in Ur of the Chaldeans, with Sarah and Abraham might have been like.

That said, I personally struggled with some of the creative license taken with the biblical story. The book portrays Sarai and her family as worshipers of false gods before Abram’s call, and Sarai herself is not shown as the woman of strong faith we recognize from Scripture. While I understand some of this is historically accurate for the people in Ur during that time and added depth to Sarah's character in the books, those choices just made it harder for me to connect with the Sarah I know from the Bible.

Additionally, some of the family relationships were not accurate and felt like a creative departure that didn't align for me.

Angela Hunt is undeniably a gifted writer and researcher, and I can appreciate her effort to bring cultural depth to familiar Bible characters. I do not believe it's her intention in any way to be disrespectful by taking these creative liberties as that is what occurs many times in some biblical fiction books, however, readers who prefer stories that stay closer to the biblical text may find these interpretations a little distracting.

For those who enjoy biblical fiction and don’t mind extra creative license, this might still be an engaging read. It's always important when reading biblical fiction to take your heart back to scripture regardless of the creative liberties taken in the fictional work.

Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7976156930
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UtLAdl
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/637229

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt

 

The Heart of Bennet Hollow by Joanne Bischof DeWitt
3 Stars 

Alright friends, take me with a grain of salt on this review because SO many of y'all will enjoy this book I think. It's cute, cozy and good for a Jane Austen fan in general. I think it would be perfect for the fall time too, it starts in October.

As someone who adores Pride and Prejudice, I went into this book excited for a heartfelt, Appalachian twist on a classic favorite. As a southern girl who lives in Tennessee, I LOVED the setting. It was lovely and the author truly captures the Appalachian atmosphere beautifully with cozy, fall-ready charm and strong small-town details. That what made the book for me was the Appalachian details and narration. 

All of that said, I do think the story itself felt a little too close to Jane Austen’s original.  Because of that, it lost some of the emotional spark and originality I was hoping for. Some of the personalities of the characters were not how I anticipated too I think.

We follow Lizbeth Bennet and William Drake. Set in New River, Virginia, 1904, Lizbeth wants to preserve her family's farm and secure a future for her and her sisters in the Appalachian coal mining town. William Drake arrives focused on business. Their paths cross and you know the drill. :)

Characters names: William Drake (Mr. Darcy), Lizbeth Bennet (Elizabeth Bennet), Hattie (Charlotte), Westgard (Wickham), Lacey (Lydia), Catherine de Bourgh (same), Jayne (Jane), Callum Brydolf (Bingley)

All of this said, I did appreciate the clean romance and historical elements woven into the cozy, coal-mining town setting. My great grandfather was a coal miner and those bits touched my heart. 

If you’re looking for a sweet, comforting read with Appalachian setting and a large similarity to P&P, this would still be a nice pick. It just didn’t deliver the emotional depth or distinction I expected. I do want to read The Lady and the Lionheart by this author as many of you have recommended it to me as your favorite!

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for a complimentary e-book to read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7754968313
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UwVHxR
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/638204

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

 Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright

3.5 - 4 Stars (4 on Goodreads)

I have read so many Jaime Jo Wright books! She is known for her haunting, Gothic dual-timeline mysteries/suspense style with good Christian content, combating the supernatural with the reality of the Christian faith. She usually has a good romantic sub-plot too. This one is set in 1901 and present day for our timelines. 

Jaime Jo weaves together the lives of Effie James and Norah Richman, two women connected by tragedy, secrets, and an eerie house at 322 Predicament Avenue.

I think my favorite timeline was the present day because of the crime podcast stuff. 

My favorite part of this book is honestly the atmosphere and the strong writing I’ve come to expect from Jaime Jo. I do struggle to stay fully invested this time but honestly, I listened to the audio and think I just wasn't as invested because the timelines and mysteries felt a bit too similar at points, and I found myself having to stop and remember which story I was in and who we were talking about. It’s totally a ME thing. I’m also struggling to connect with stories right now for some reason so I probably forced reading when I should have taken a break. 

Even still, this is one that if you love a good gothic mystery, check this out. The ending reallllly surprised me!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7160979239
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42KOmiN
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9780764241451_night-falls-on-predicament-avenue 

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly

 

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly
4 Stars

This is a beautiful, heartfelt story about courage, empathy, and helping animals. I loved Song for a Whale and this was another great middle grade book by Lynne.

Max is our main character, a young 12 year old boy you will instantly connect with. He is trying to figure out who he is outside of his father's shadow. People always liked making plans or him when he was standing right there. His Dad wants him to play sports, but he doesn't have any interest in that. He has a lot of pressure put on him from his Dad. His parent split when he was 4 years old. His Mom is a high school history teacher and he goes to spend time with her at the beach during the summer. 

He finds an octopus with a missing arm and in need of help. He takes it upon himself to help it and finds purpose in doing so. 

We see themes of family pressure, friendship and self-discovery here as Max finds what he enjoys and is passionate about. 

If you like middle grade books with a heavy focus on animals, wildlife or the ocean, this is one to read! Would recommend, especially for 4th - 7th graders. No language or explicit content.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7572178367
Amazon: https://amzn.to/47vDiss

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson

The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson 

4 Stars

This is a heartfelt, Southern family story. Set in the small town of Gilmore, North Carolina, this Christian fiction is about Glory Pryor, who runs a bookstore in town and newcomer Adelle Simonette, who moves there with her young son. Their paths cross and both women have experience's they never expected. Adelle's is walking through grief from the loss of her husband. Glory is keeping secrets buried as her and her husband Eli are nearing retirement age as they look to moving on from the store to new things. Glory doesn't expect Adelle and her son working on her heart during their time there.

I really enjoyed this book. I have been loving general contemporary women's fiction stories lately and this was another good one to add to my recommendation list going forward. It’s reflective and emotional without feeling too heavy. This is my first book by Robin and she writes with such warmth and depth, especially when exploring themes of family and faith.

I appreciated how both Glory and Adelle’s stories showed their real life struggles. Glory wasn't much of a believer, and didn't want a lot to do with God, but she had the foundation of faith from her life growing up. We see some of her faith come back to her in this book. She was funny and I loved her relationships with others in this book. 

I loved that Glory was over 60 with her sweet husband Eli. Their relationship was real, funny and sweet. Adelle was in her 40's, with her 4 year old son. Middle aged characters in stories really bring the reality of life and depth to the story. Lots of relatability. 

Our characters experience healing and it was beautiful. I wasn't too sure how I felt with the ending when the big secrets were revealed, but it was tied up nicely in the end. 

Overall, this was a beautiful, faith-filled story about community, second chances, forgiveness and the little ways God works through the people around us.

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for an e-book copy to honestly read and review. All thoughts are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7997514495
Amazon: https://amzn.to/45jBPob
Baker Book House: https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/638198

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.

Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle

 Coffee We Spill by Chelsea Michelle
4 Stars 

Ok, this one had the cozy mystery I was looking for! :) This is the 3rd book in the Novella Mini Mystery Series - you need to read their full book though, Transactions We Expose probably before this one, I didn't and I think I can see where I was spoiled a smidge on some things but by the time I get back to the full novel, I will probably have forgotten that info, haha.

But I have had fun with these mini-mystery novellas. This one is my favorite of the 3 I have read. I like how this one really focused on the mystery of someone missing and Michelle being a possible suspect. 

Essentially, Michelle’s coffee shop is doing well but a a new coffee truck competitor rolls into town and then the owner suddenly goes missing. Blood stains are discovered on Michelle’s back door, she becomes the prime suspect, and her sister Chelsea jumps in to help prove her innocence. 

The pacing really worked well, it was fast and engaging and I liked the mystery part the best. Looks like Michelle's love life is hopefully settling down too, we will see about that.

This has good faith and prayer content too with the sister's struggles as they learn to trust the Lord.

Looking forward to more in this series and I will eventually go back to the full length story before this one. :) 

Thank you to the author for a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7832841164
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W2rPdv

*Amazon links are affiliate links and a commission may be earned on items purchased from these links.