{Book Review:} The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn by Lori Benson

My Review:
Wow!
The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn is Lori Benson's sophomore novel, but it is my first novel I've read by her. I thoroughly enjoyed it! Generally I don't go for novels set in the late 1700s, but knowing Benton's debut was highly praised, I snatched up the chance to review it. Goodness, I'm glad I did! Benson's writing style is so fluid and the effort she put into research is obvious- but the information isn't shoved in your face. It was presented as the need arose.

There are so many reasons I adored Tamsen and Jesse, but I'll only mention a few each. I'll start with Tamsen. That girl is so strong! And I'm not talking about physical prowess here. She may have felt in shambles, or even like porcelain, for a couple weeks but she persevered. She never gave up. Jesse was a perfect hero. No, I don't mean his character wasn't flawed but the guy had his priorities straight. He was willing to give up Tamsen if God told him to. I love the trust he expressed and willingness to follow God's will.

All I can really say is: wow. I will definitely be going back and reading Burning Sky in the near future, no questions asked. Benton has an addictive style writing that captivates you until the last page. This one's a keeper! I recommend to readers ages fifteen and older who enjoy the late 1700s American setting. I also recommend to those looking for an inspirational read.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!

Back Cover:
Western North Carolina, 1787 ~ To escape a threatening stepfather and an unwanted marriage, Tamsen Littlejohn enlists the aid of Jesse Bird, a frontiersman she barely knows, to spirit her away from Morganton, North Carolina, west beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Trouble pursues, as the two men intent on seeing her recovered prove relentless in their hunt. Trouble awaits in the form of a divided frontier community. Across the mountains the State of Franklin has been declared, yet many settlers remain loyal to North Carolina. Chaos reigns, thwarting Tamsen and Jesse’s hastily cobbled plan to keep her safe.
With her pursuers ever nearing, the region in turmoil, neighbors grown suspicious of her presence, Tamsen’s safety is soon put in greater jeopardy. Gaining the freedom she longs for will mean running yet again, to the most unlikely refuge imaginable—the Cherokees, a people balanced on the knife edge of war.
But the biggest complication may prove to be Tamsen’s growing bond with her knight in greasy buckskins, Jesse Bird. Falling in love was never part of the plan.

{Book Review:} My Hope is Found by Joanne Bischof

My Review:
Oh, what a lovely finish to a wonderful series!!

I have been aching to get my hands on My Hope is Found ever since I finished the last page of Though My Heart is Torn. Once you've read the first two in the series, you feel a certain familiarity returning to Jeb and Elsie's home and this time was no different. Ah, I could smell what Lonnie was baking, hear Jacob and Addie playing, and I could feel winter turning to spring. It's a lovely experience! Mrs. Bischof selected the perfect setting for these novels.

If you've read Though My Heart is Torn, then I can almost guarantee you're on the edge of your seat waiting for My Hope is Found to be released. I have been sworn to secrecy, but I will say the ending is satisfying and came about in a way I did not expect. OK, so maybe I had an inkling to how it was going to end, but I wasn't sure.

Mrs. Bischof's tagline is "Heartfelt Fiction" and that is truly the best (and shortest) description I can give. I have loved and cherished each part of Lonnie's story and though I loath seeing it end, I am very glad for the time I spent with Lonnie. This is a series you have to read for yourself in order to understand why I love it so. Mrs. Bischof has totally outdone herself with the Cadence of Grace series and I cannot wait to read what she releases next!

I highly recommend this series to ages sixteen and up for both readability and content.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks, Joanne!!

Back Cover:
Gideon O’Riley has been given another chance at a life with Lonnie. But will the fight for her heart risk it all over again?

After finally finding love with his sweet bride Lonnie, Gideon’s heart was torn when a woman from his past claimed to be his true and rightful wife, forcing him away from his family. God’s merciful hand saw Gideon through the heartache, and with Cassie’s blessing, he is able to return home. Though his journey back through the Blue Ridge Mountains will hold a trial he never anticipated. Meanwhile, Lonnie determines to seal off her heart from Gideon, convinced he is lost to her forever. Strengthening her resolve to move on is the fondness she has for the handsome Scotsman, Toby McKee—the young reverend she has come to care deeply for. His proposal of marriage offers a bright future for her and her young son.

Yearning to allow joy back into her life, Lonnie must put aside the broken pieces of her heart that still love Gideon. When he returns to find her betrothed to another, he has to place his hope in God, trusting that the One who redeemed their love once can do it again.

{Book Review} Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

My Review:
Compelling, heart wrenching, and absolutely amazing!

Several blogging friends of mine had given this book four to five stars- certainly a high enough rating to pique my interest.  So when I given an opportunity to review it, I took the chance. After all, I thought, Francine Rivers is supposed to be a really great author right? No kidding! She's amazing. Her style, her research, the heart of the story, it's all beautiful.

Redeeming Love is, in a way, an 1850s retelling of Hosea and Gomer's love story with Rivers' own spin to it. And I thoroughly enjoyed it. My heart ached for Michael and at the same time I admired his strength and faith. One thing that began to get on my nerves after a while was all the names he called Angel: Amanda, Tirzah, Mara, Beloved, and when he was frustrated, Angel. Though it wasn't a big deal in the long run.

Rivers wrote Angel's character with perfection. Rivers presented her excellently, holding nothing back. There was never a moment that the word "unrealistic" came to mind. Angel's struggles were raw, real, and tangible. There's more I could say, but I do not want to spoil anything, so I'll close with this: Redeeming Love is a story of unconditional love, of heart break, and of redemption when it seems impossible. I highly recommend this book to mature readers.

I received this book from Waterbrook/Multomah through their review program, Blogging for Books, in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done. Thanks!

Back Cover:
California's gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.

Angel expects nothing from men but betrayal. Sold into prostitution as a child she survives by keeping her hatred alive. And what she hates most are the men who use her, leaving her empty and dead inside.

Then she meets Michael Hosea. A man who seeks his Father's heart in everything, Michael obeys God's call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel's every bitter expectation, until despite her resistance, her frozen heart begins to thaw.

But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband's pursuing love, terrified of the truth she no longer can deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael does ... the One who will never let her go.

Though My Heart is Torn by Joanne Bischof

My Review:
What a spectacular sequel to Be Still My Soul!!

I'm still recovering from the heart-twisting experience I read through yesterday afternoon. Bischof does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life and enthralling you with their story. There's no way to easily explain in this review how much I'm in love with this series but I'll certainly try!

Since I've already mentioned how realistic Lonnie and Gideon are let me next talk about the supporting cast. In Though My Heart is Torn the memorable characters, Jebediah and Elsie make another appearance. They both are such sweet surrogate parents for Lonnie. I also enjoyed seeing Addie again. That little girl is so cute and bubbly!

I truly felt my heart torn like Lonnie's. I wanted to cry about halfway through. I felt myself walking right alongside Lonnie, aching to help her. I haven't read a book that's drawn me in and swallowed me up before. So as I patiently wait for the next book I'll try not to reread both books over and over...

I received this book from Multnomah though Blogging for Books in return for an honest review, which I have done. Thanks!

Back Cover: 
Gideon O’Riley has two wives—but he doesn’t know it.
 
Settling into a simple life in the majestic Blue Ridge mountains, Lonnie and Gideon O’Riley have finally found happiness after the rocky start to their marriage. The roguish bluegrass musician has fallen in love with his gentle wife and the God she serves, and Lonnie rests secure in his tenderness for her and their young son. A heartless ruse interupts their peace, bringing them back to Rocky Knob—and forces them to face the claims of Cassie Allan, a woman who says she is Gideon’s rightful wife.

As Gideon wades into the depths of his past choices, Lonnie is stunned by the revelations. She has no choice but to navigate this new path, knowing that surviving the devastating blow will take every ounce of strength  she has.

While Gideon’s guilt  and his bitterness towards Cassie threatens to burn up his fledgling faith, Lonnie wrestles to find the courage to trust the God who brought them together in the first place. Will their hard-earned love be able to conquer all?

Lonnie only wanted her husband’s love. Now that he belongs to another, can she surrender Gideon to a God with a bigger plan?

{Book Review} Be Still My Soul by Joanne Bischof

Back Cover (from Goodreads):
Pretty Lonnie Sawyer is shy and innocent, used to fading into the background within her family, and among the creeks and hollows of the Appalachian hills. Though her family is poor and her father abusive, she clings to a quiet faith. But when handsome ladies’ man and bluegrass musician Gideon O’Riley steals a kiss, that one action seals her fate.

Her father forces her into a hasty marriage with Gideon—a man she barely knows and does not love. Equally frustrated and confused by his new responsibilities, Gideon yearns for a fresh start, forcing Lonnie on an arduous journey away from her home in Rocky Knob.

Her distant groom can’t seem to surrender his rage at the injustice of the forced matrimony or give Lonnie any claim in his life. What will it take for Gideon to give up his past, embrace Lonnie’s God, and discover a hope that can heal their two fractured hearts?

Gideon only ever cared about himself. Now that Lonnie is his wife, will he ever be worthy of her heart?


My Review:
This is the first book since Picture Perfect by Janice Thompson that I just could not put down. Seriously. I read it in two sittings. After all, a girl has to stay hydrated and fed!

Be Still My Soul is a remarkable tale about Lonnie and Gideon and their shot gun wedding over a misunderstanding on Lonnie's father's part. I don't want to give too much away in this review, so I'll try to remain as tight-lipped as I can. OK, back to the book... My heart went out to Lonnie as she dealt with her circumstances and her obstacles. Her faith almost never wavered and she never complained- that I can recall.

I say I enjoy a lot of different books, and I do! But this one really hit the spot for me and I am eagerly awaiting my review copy for Though My Heart is Torn from Blogging for Books to arrive. Bischof's writing style is easy to read and it hooks you from the first page. Lonnie and Gideon are great examples of characterization and I'm so happy the book ended on a satisfying note.

The reason you need to go out and get your own copy is simple. If you are a fan of historical fiction, love really good writing, like characters you can sympathize to, and enjoy a good read then this book might be worth checking into. ;-)

My grandmother bought this book for me (thanks, Grandma!), no review required.

Book Review: Christy Miller Vol. 1 by Robin Jones Gunn

My Review:
Christy Miller Volume 1 is a collection of the first three books in the Christy Miller series. I confess, I'm a little late to join the Christy fan club, but better late than never! I haven't reviewed a three-book volume before, so bear with me. (Warning, spoilers!)

What I liked about Summer Promise, the first book: Christy is a great protagonist. She's real with her struggles and teenage dreams. Miss Gunn was able to teach without sounding preachy. I loved Todd and all his whacky analogies to Christian faith. I thought it was kind of funny reading about some of the outdated technology. The thing I liked the most about this book is Christy's promise to her parents to not do anything she might regret later on. It seems to be a theme for the book and I really like that. It saves Christy from some trouble.

What I liked about A Whisper and a Wish: Out of the three, this was not my favorite. Maybe it was the lack of seeing the awesome characters at Newport Beach because the Miller family moved to Escondido. I felt Christy was drowning in some sort of emotional whirlpool and that didn't do much for me. One thing I did like was a verse Miss Gunn presented in Christy's Sunday school class, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character'." (1 Corinthians 15:33) It got me thinking about my life. Miss Gunn went on to make some great points using this verse. It was a highlight for me. :-)

What I liked about Yours Forever: We're back in Newport Beach! I was so happy to read about the crew from Summer Promise again. Man, this one is full of drama. Haha! Sadly for Christy, this quick Christmas break with her Aunt and Uncle doesn't quite go as planned. She is so eager to spend time with Todd and her other friends that she lets her Aunt's plans slip twice. Problems seem to pop up everywhere for Christy with no visible reason as to why. Thankfully, Miss Gunn wraps the last book with a bow.

Here are a few minor things I didn't like overall: Though this book was written a while ago, Christy's innocence made her seem more like a twelve year old than a fourteen or fifteen year old sometimes. I also did not like the so called Christians that Christy befriends in Escondido.

Whew! That was long. To quickly conclude, I will note for you that Miss Gunn's writing is fantastic. It was so easy to read, I loved it. I'll be passing this book to my twelve year old sister. :-)

I received this book from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in return for an honest review of my opinions, which I have done.

Read Chapter 1 of Summer Promise!
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