ROOTS OF WOOD AND STONE by Amanda Wen, Reviewed by Kim

Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen is a stunning debut! I loved every word of this time slip novel! The main characters of each time period were amazing and well drawn, the secondary characters added depth to each story, and the time lines wove together perfectly.

While I loved both stories, I’d have to give a slight edge to the historical story because of Annabelle and Jack and their beautiful life together. I absolutely loved them both. My favorite part of the contemporary story was the banter between Sloane and Garrett. I loved how their relationship developed as they figured out who Annabelle was and how she fit into their story.

I also loved how faith was perfectly woven into this story with the reminders that no matter what our plans are, it is God’s plans that will prevail in our lives and if we are children of God, only He can can fill our empty places.

Can an author be on my auto buy list after only one book?! I cannot wait to see what Amanda Wen brings us next! Highly recommended!
*I bought and received a complimentary copy of this book. The faith thread is prominent.

See Paula's and Winnie's Reviews!

 

Sedgewick County Chronicles, Book One

BackCover Blurb:
This historic home holds the keys to their destiny . . . and their hearts

Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn't expect much from the common artifact . . .until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary.Now she's on the hunt to find out more.

Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother's historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer's, he can't afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who's fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.

A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love--and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.

This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God's plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.

 

Kregel Publishing, April 2021

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A DEEP DIVIDE by Kimberley Woodhouse, Reviewed by Paula and Winnie

PAULA'S REVIEW:
I have not been to the Grand Canyon but now I have had a glimpse of it through the eyes of Emma Grace. Ms. Woodhouse has described breathtaking scenes and makes me want to add a trip to my bucket list.

This intriguing story captured my interest. An heiress shunning her wealth and the machinations of her grasping father, comes to a remote place to make her own way in the world as a Harvey Girl. The author writes a determined heroine, Emma Grace McMurray, as she uses her wits to fit in with the working class. Ray Watkins has a new-found faith and although he is in training to take over the business from his wealthy father, he longs to put his money to a higher use, helping the less fortunate. Ray visits El Tovar Hotel where Emma Grace is a Harvey Girl. There is interest there but Emma Grace wants nothing to do with the rich men who seem to be about nothing but amassing more money and power.

Mystery arrives in the form of threatening notes and troubling inquiries. Someone is looking for Emma Grace,

Lots of interesting details about El Tovar and Hopi House, an attraction that houses an expensive art collection.

The blossoming romance is sweet and Emma learns to trust and make friends among her fellow workers. Emma learns to put her trust in God as she relies on the verse: “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

The secondary characters are notable as some support and some thwart the hero and heroine.
I am anxious to see what is next in Secrets Of The Canyon.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.* 5 stars and a strong faith thread

WINNIE'S REVIEW:
Set mainly in the Grand Canyon area in the early 1900s, A Deep Divide by Kimberley Woodhouse is a beautifully written story vividly capturing the beauty and majesty of this spectacular place. Emma Grace McMurray escapes her wealthy past by disguising herself and becoming a Harvey Girl waitress at El Tovar Hotel. She wants nothing to do with rich society people. When she meets Ray Watkins, who comes from a wealthy background, it takes her a while to warm up to him and get to know him as someone who would like to use his money in philanthropic ways. Through Ray and her friends at El Tovar, Emma Grace wants to conquer her fears and overcome her past.

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

“Fear had become her way of life for too long, and she’d had enough.”

With intrigue, suspense, a touch of romance, and lots of inspiration, this story has a little of everything. Themes of overcoming fears, trusting in God, and having hope for the future give the reader many things to ponder on. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy inspirational historical fiction.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers. All opinions are my own.

 

BackCover Blurb:
With her past behind her, she has nothing--and everything--to lose.

After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can't let go of the deep-rooted fear that he's just like every other wealthy man she's known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

Bethany House Publishing, October 2021

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

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THE HEALING OF NATALIE CURTIS by Jane Kirkpatrick, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

"The Indian music had made Natalie resilient again, not the fragile woman she'd been. 'The Indians Book' was her hymn for life, to return to living. There would be times ahead when she would question her toughness, but she would remember the combining of the fired clay and the new, and that together they offered both beauty and strength."

This is no ordinary story. Natalie Curtis was an amazing woman with a passion for conservation, and a determination to preserve the arts; using her voice for the voiceless, she was committed to capturing for all eternity the beauty of the Native American culture through its music. Truly a woman nearly a century before her time, Natalie accomplished great things for entire nations of our country's indigenous peoples.

But, Natalie wasn't always so strong. In fact, following a physical and mental breakdown as a young prodigious musician, she nearly succumbed to her inner distress before following her brother out West, where she regained purpose. This book traces that journey back to wholeness.

Looking back on this story, it becomes apparent that the book's greatest strength is also its great weakness; reading more like a memoir than a story, its rich detail and careful recording of people, places and events becomes a bit tedious and at times fairly redundant. Is it a story worth telling, you might ask? Absolutely. For like Natalie, we should all be able to answer the Yuma woman's three healing questions, "When was the last time you sang? When was the last time you danced? When was the last time you told your story?"

This author deserves high commendation for penning hours of research onto the page, bringing this courageous woman back into the limelight for a new generation to admire.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.3.5 stars

BackCover Blurb:
Classically trained pianist and singer Natalie Curtis isolated herself for five years after a breakdown just before she was to debut with the New York Philharmonic. Guilt-ridden and songless, Natalie can't seem to recapture the joy music once brought her. In 1902, her brother invites her to join him in the West to search for healing. What she finds are songs she'd never before encountered--the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans.

But their music is under attack. The US government's Code of Offenses prohibits American's indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages as the powers that be insist on assimilation. Natalie makes it her mission not only to document these songs before they disappear but to appeal to President Teddy Roosevelt himself, who is the only man with the power to repeal the unjust law. Will she succeed and step into a new song . . . and a new future?

Award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick weaves yet another lyrical tale based on a true story that will keep readers captivated to the very end.

Revell Publishing, September, 2021

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

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UNDER THE WEEPING WILLOW by Jenny Knipfer, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

I was interested in reading this book after having read the first in the series because I lived in the north woods of Wisconsin for 11 years.

The story was captivating for me because it dealt with depression and how it was handled in the early 1900s. It alternated between Robin, who gave birth in 1918 and her daughter Enid who was written from a 1980s perspective. My mother, who wore Chanel No. 5, was born in 1917, so this was a point of connection for me. She lived to be 101 and was in a nursing home at the end.

The author dealt with some hard issues: attempted suicide, living in an asylum and coping with a loved one with Alzheimers. Some heavy subjects that had me in tears at times but the author handled them with sensitivity. The main emphasis was the relationship between mother and daughter and how each had wished for a closer connection, finally finding forgiveness and resolution.

Daughter Enid: “One of the things Mom’s journey with dementia has taught me is this: Life is in the small things, like the word AMEN- a simple agreement, a yes to words prayed, and a statement claiming the promises of God.”

Mother Robin: “One thing that helps me: the Lord promises to be with me no matter what my journey looks like. No matter if I can’t remember where I an or who I am. He’ll know, and that will have to be enough.”

So much resonated with me through the ups and downs of this poignant story. I look forward to book three in this series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*5 stars and a strong faith thread 

BackCover Blurb:
A HISTORICAL NOVEL ABOUT A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER AND THE SECRET SHAPING THEIR ROCKY RELATIONSHIP

1918:
Just as Robin Holcomb settles into married life with her husband, Willis, on his aunt and uncle’s farm in Wisconsin, WWI calls Willis away. With an unknown future and a child on the way, Robin makes the best of life among people she barely knows.

After the birth of her child, Robin struggles with depression and battles to overcome her inner demons before despair and hopelessness drive her to attempt to take her own life. Will Robin survive her dive into postpartum depression, let alone see Willis again?

1983:
Enid Fenton clears out her Mother’s house and puts the family farm up for sale, trying to not be consumed by guilt for installing her mother into the county nursing home.

Reading through some of her mother’s diary entries, Enid uncovers a secret that helps her make sense of the unnamed point of division that has always soured their relationship.

Can Enid reconcile with her mother before the ravages of Alzheimer’s claim her?

Available in digital ebook and paperback at Amazon