I hope that you all will be looking forward to that review! I'm sure that it will be interesting...
I have discovered something quite interesting. I also think it a bit strange as well. I love searching for new books and have recently begun to read more Biblical fiction. Did anyone know that Tosca Lee--the writer of Iscariot--has written a book entitled The Legend of Sheba: The Rise of a Queen? If you like Tosca Lee you probably do know that. Her book doesn't come out till September 9th. However, I requested it on a book reviewer site and was able to get it. I'm going to wait to publish the review on this one but let me just tell you that it was a truly amazing book. Spectacular even. But this is not what this post is about. I found that there is also another book that has come out on the queen of Sheba. I thought at first that the books were one and the same just with different covers. But when I saw that there were different authors as well, I was intrigued. Which book would be better? However, I only had the one by Tosca Lee so I couldn't compare them. And I'm fairly sure after reading Tosca Lee's book that the other one probably won't measure up. But I just found out that I won the other queen of Sheba book in a giveaway. So, I'll be doing a special review once I read the book by Jill Francis Hudson. I thought it was kind of strange that these two authors wrote a book so similar. But I suppose that neither one of them knew that the other was writing it.
I hope that you all will be looking forward to that review! I'm sure that it will be interesting...
1 Comment
Description:
THE VENGEFUL GODDESS DEMANDS HER TITHE When a stowaway is discovered aboard the merchant ship Kulap Kanya, Munny, a cabin boy on his first voyage, knows what must be done. All stowaways are sacrificed to Risafeth, the evil goddess of the sea. Such is her right, and the Kulap Kanya's only hope to return safely home. Yet, to the horror of his crew, Captain Sunan vows to protect the stowaway, a foreigner in clown's garb. A curse falls upon the ship and all who sail with her, for Risafeth will stop at nothing to claim her tithe. Will Munny find the courage to trust his captain and to protect the strange clown who has become his friend? My Review: Wow. This novella was incredible. I always want to read Anne Elisabeth’s books as soon as they come out but was not able to read Goddess Tithe until later. I absolutely adored it! Some things are explained, though other mysteries are given for the author to unravel later. I can’t wait for that! The beginning of the novella was just a tad slow, but after that the action picked up and I whizzed through it. I loved Munney, who was the main character. Leonard from Veiled Rose and Moonblood showed up. I love how Anne Elisabeth interweaves all her novels. Goddess Tithe is best read either after or before Veiled Rose. I’m curious as to who exactly Captain Sunan is. I hope the author will tell us in her future novels! He held an absolute mysteriousness in him that I would love to learn about. The only complaint I would have with this novella would be the names. They blurred together in my mind because they were so different and foreign sounding. Other than that, I absolutely loved this story! Anne Elisabeth writes in such a lyrical way that I am always caught spellbound by her writing. Her books always have some biblical morals or parallels that are interesting to ponder as well. My favorite quote from Goddess Tithe is this one: “…Vengeance cannot abide the agony of grace.” This quote is the central point of the whole story and only a taste of Anne Elisabeth Stengl’s writing. I cannot wait until the next book in The Goldstone Wood series comes out. It’s called Golden Daughter. Looks like my favorite character will be in it as well. Goldstone fans, can you guess who it is if I give you a hint? It has to do with a fluffy faerie cat… I give Goddess Tithe 41/2 out of 5 stars. This chapter is an exciting one! Things are beginning to happen that are beyond anyone's control. The demons seem to be attacking Meredith more and more. Pastor Silverton finds a secret of Finn's that could And something is about to go terribly wrong...
Chapter 15 I did not see Aurelius Finn for three days after that night. Nor Adam, for that matter. I went with Mrs. Silverton to visit sick members of Pastor Silverton’s congregation. I played with Edison and talked with Iana. I joked with Pastor Silverton. But there, in the back of my mind, was the story that Finn had told me. Oh, how I turned his words over and over in my mind! How those words pushed and tugged at my spirit. I did not know what to do with the story. And I wasn’t quite sure why he had told me. I believe…to help me understand something…but I wasn’t sure what . On that third morning after Finn had spoken to me about how he had found Edison, I awoke to a strange kind of feeling in the pit of my stomach. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock at my bedside. 4:00 A.M. What…why was I awake? “Oh, your sleep is so sweet, isn’t it? So dear it is to look upon. So perfect.” The voice was whiny, high, and familiar. I sat up quickly and scanned the room, looking for the source of the voice. I swung my feet over the side of my bed. “Oh, don’t get up, now! Don’t get up.” The voice sneered, absolutely saturated with evil. “I wanted to give you a nightmare. You ruined my fun…” The voice trailed off into nothingness, planting a vague unsettled feeling in the center of my stomach. The word nightmare swelled up and rose in power and sound over my head, nearly overwhelming my commonsense. For a moment, the darkness of the room whirled in front of my eyes. Or, perhaps the swirling was in my head… I closed my eyes and pressed my hands to my eyes, praying for it to stop. Once I had gained more of a sense of equilibrium, I took my hands from my eyes and turned on the bedside lamp. But still, some darkness remained. The darkness slowly formed into a shape. The shape of not just one demon, but two. One was Poke The other one concealed his face. I glared at the one I could see. The one I was familiar with. “What are you doing here, Poke?” I spat out. I became slightly fearful when I saw that he had grown since I had seen him last, a few months before. That usually meant that a demon had been promoted or had been successful…about winning a soul…over to Satan. Instead of being knee high as I had always seen him before he was now about my height. But as he stepped closer to me I saw that he was perhaps a little taller than I was. A feeling of danger and eeriness swept over me. I tried to get a look at the other demon’s face to find out what I was up against, but he withdrew himself further. I decided to deal with what I knew first. Then I could deal with what I didn’t know. I stood up and stared Poke down, forcing fear from my voice and posture and replacing it with as much courage as I could muster. “Oh, I know your secret now, little girl.” Poke jeered in a dark whisper. He began to circle me. “I know your little secret.” I raised my chin. “And…what is that?” Poke shrieked out a laugh. It screeched and scratched every sense I possessed, leaving me feel raw and more unsettled than before. Then, Poke rose up before me and, his face an inch before mine, hissed a name that made my blood turn to ice, my heart turn cold. “Aurelius Finn.” I swallowed, but refused to break eye contact, refused to back down. “What about him?” I simply said. “He’s my…friend.” “Ah…but you hesitated.” The other demon said in a smooth, even tone, his face finally emerging from the shadows. Ice white skin appeared paired with soulless eyes a shade darker than black. A lunatic color, that black. A color not of the world I knew. “Rass.” I mouthed, fear robbing me of my voice. “That will be all, Poke.” Rass said, flipping a hand at the lesser demon. Poke’s face screwed up into a horrible little scowl and his voice became high enough to break glass. “But I wanted to—” “That will be all.” Rass repeated, jaw going rigid. He stared straight ahead at me, never even turning to Poke. “But I found her weakness for you.” Poke hissed. “I deserve more than this, Rass!” Rass’s lips upturned slightly. I shuddered. What a horrible excuse for a smile… “Did we not agree that the…objective…was not your reward but the ultimate goal?” Poke muttered for a moment. But he finally disappeared, disintegrating into the shadows. Poke turned his full attention upon me. His eyes became hypnotic and changed to a strange, violet color. Slowly, they became lighter until the color of Rass’s eyes was the same color as Finn’s. Horrified, I stared into his eyes, now more beautiful and soulful than dark and soulless. Rass began to walk in slow, sure steps around me. I turned in a slow circle with him, making sure he never got behind my back. “You’re…one of Satan’s.” I whispered. Rass paused. “Really? And how did you discover that, little one?” “But…Finn could see you…I mean…he saw you.” Rass smiled. “Ah, yes. Finn. Yes, he can see me. Of course he can. He hasn’t told you everything yet, has he, love?” An icy shiver ran down my spine when Rass called me “love”. The way he had said it had sounded so…real…as if he really meant it. “Aurelius Finn…” Rass said, in an almost thoughtful tone. “He could be…more…more than a friend...to you.” “What makes you so sure?” I asked. But the merest hint of a tremor infiltrated my voice, betraying my heart. He froze. “You love him.” Rass said, the word on his tongue sounding sweet and fake. “Am I not right, Meredith?” When I remained silent he smiled. His smile was as beguiling as the color his eyes had changed. He was beginning to look like Finn… “Don’t you love him, Meredith? There’s no shame in admitting it, you know.” I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to block the demon out, tried to stop the strange influence he was wreaking upon my senses. Finally, when I could take no more, I blurted out, “So what if I do? What is that to you? It’s nothing! It does not matter. It cannot matter.” He laughed. And though his face had become beautiful, that laugh was a wretched thing to my ears. “What a person loves will always influence them,” He said. “Influence them in this life. Influence them in the next. When a person loves something, that something is woven into the fabric of the soul.” He looked up at me slyly. “It matters, little girl. And it will matter forever.” I set my jaw. “But why are you so concerned about it?” “Because this is a…unique circumstance. And the situation deserves…special handling in order to turn out the way my prince wants it to.” “I will not allow it to turn out the way your prince wants it to.” I said in as threatening a whisper as I could manage. “But I have discovered a weakness, just as I always do in the end. Both in you…and in him.” I could not breathe. “No…” “Yes. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. You see…he…”He met my eyes. “Is your weakness. But...what is more you are Aurelius’s weakness. And you shall be his downfall. What is that old cliché? Two birds with a single stone?” “You can try what you like,” I said fiercely. “But you shall not get to him. He is too strong.” Rass shrugged, lifted his gaze, smiled the slightest bit. His eyes began to return to their normal color. “Perhaps. But…I can get to you.” I blinked and, just as quickly as he had appeared, the demon was gone. I stumbled back onto my bed and pressed one hand to my heart, one to my mouth. Aurelius Finn was one of the Seven. I didn’t know what it meant. But with a clarity I had not possessed before I realized I needed to find out. If for no other reason than to make sure Rass no longer held that knowledge over my head. ******************************************************** “Mom, I made a new friend! Her name’s Dacy. She says she’s friends with Finn. But she’s only eleven. Isn’t that strange? How do you think she’s friends with him?” “That is strange. Where did you meet her?” Mrs. Silverton asked. “Oh, right outside on the driveway. We’re coloring with chalk right now. I just came inside to get popsicles for us. Meredith, come with me! You make great pictures with chalk. And Dacy says she wants to meet you.” “Yes, please go, Meredith,” Mrs. Silverton urged. She lowered her voice. “Make sure that this girl is an…appropriate playmate for Edison.” “I will.” I assured her as I followed Edison to the front drive. As I walked into the sunshine, one of the first things I noticed was a glowing brown head. At first, I thought it was glowing on its own. But I blinked and realized that it was just the sun, bestowing its golden benediction upon that little head. The little girl was sitting down on the cement of the driveway, making a picture with chalk. She seemed a little sad and deeper in thought than any child I had ever seen. Edison bounced up to her and held out a popsicle. “Here!” He cried. She blinked and looked up at him, the sadness dropping away. “Oh. Thanks.” He smiled, plopped down next to her, and took a humongous bite of his treat. His face scrunched up and he cried out, “Cold!” before he immediately hopped back up and ran around the house to the backyard. The fence door slammed shut a moment later. The girl stared after him, a smile lighting her pretty face. She glanced up at me and I realized who she was. She was the girl-angel that I had met when Edison and I had been walking home from the park a few days before. Her umber eyes glowed at me, thoughts running behind them that I could not guess. I looked at the picture she had made of chalk and barely kept my mouth from falling open. The picture was of a tree with wide, spreading branches. It was a lovely tree with branches full of thousands of tiny gold leaves and fairly dripping with a strange yet attractive looking fruit. One of the fruits lay on the ground, a single bite taken from it. I stared at it. The detail of the chalk drawing was astounding! The more I stared at it, the more I thought I saw those branches move and the fruit sway in the breeze… “It looks like…” I whispered. “It is.” The girl replied, standing up and dusting off her sky blue dress. “The tree of good and evil.” She studied her artwork for a moment, then shrugged. “What is done is done. No going back now. Only forward. Ever forward. Only forward.” She turned to me and met my gaze. Her eyes were old. It was the most disconcerting thing to see the eyes of an ancient soul within the form of a child. “I suppose you found Poke?” She asked. “I can sense some of his annoying restlessness clinging to you.” She had asked me if I had seen Poke at our first meeting. “Poke always finds me.” I said, rolling my eyes. She studied me a moment more and frowned. “But…there was…someone else. Another demon with him? A stronger demon. Who was it?” I opened my mouth, closed it. “I just want to help you, Meredith. Would it help if I told you that I’m one of the Seven?” Hesitantly, I nodded once. Truth be told, it relieved me somewhat to learn that. Although I didn’t know what it meant yet. I looked away from her, down at her drawing. “Rass,” I finally said. “It was Rass.” She stared at me, horror filming the clear gold of her eyes. “Did he do anything to you?” I shook my head. “No. At least…I don’t think so.” I had had somewhat of a headache since my meeting with him at 4:00 that morning. But besides that I was fine. “Finn won’t like to hear about this.” The girl muttered. She realized she had a Popsicle in her hand and took a bite. “Where did Edison go?” She asked. “Ummm…to run off the cold that his Popsicle gave him?” She smiled. “He’s such a sweet little boy. God will do great things through him.” A car pulled up in the driveway. Pastor Silverton got out and smiled at me. He opened his mouth to say something but before he could Edison raced up to him—red curls bouncing, popscicle melting— and hugged the man around his waist. “Dad! Dad! I made a new friend! Do you see her? I like her. Can she stay for dinner?” Pastor Silverton ruffled his son’s curls and looked up at Edison’s new “friend”. “You are welcome to stay if your parents allow you to, young lady.” He said. She smiled at him warmly. “Thank you, sir.” She said simply. Pastor Silverton made his way inside. Edison bounced after him, asking question after question. “Well…I should be going.” The girl peered up at the sky. “Tell Finn I stopped by. Oh! And try to break the news of how Rass visited you gently. You don’t want Finn angry. Even if it is a righteous anger. You’re his girl, though now, right? So it will be all right.” “His girl?” I repeated. She smiled. “His true love, silly. You’re his true love.” She began to walk away, her steps confident and measured. “Wait—I forgot to ask your name.” I called after her. I remembered vaguely Edison had mentioned it before, but I couldn’t remember what it was. She turned halfway around. “Oh, goodness. That’s Finn for you. He never gets to the details quickly enough. I’m Dacy. Dacy Dru. One of the Seven. Just as Rass is. Just as Finn is.” She turned back around and began to walk once more, this time whistling a tune. “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus and to take Him at His word…” I stared after her. Rass? Rass was one of the Seven as well? I tried to puzzle this one out but found it impossible. And…she had said Finn would be angry once he found out about how Rass had approached me. Thinking of their last meeting when I was present, I was prone to agree. I prayed that Finn would not be too angry when he saw that Rass had done nothing to harm me. I remembered the last time somebody had gotten angry for my sake. It had been with Naomi, surprisingly. Sweet, dear Naomi who had never had a single wish to hurt any person who hurt her. We had been best friends. But she had become a foster child and I had been left behind… I remembered, though, that one day that I had seen her angry for the first time. It had been a righteous anger. I remember being somewhat shocked at Naomi’s vehemence. I had been reading my Bible by the lake when seven boys had surrounded me, circled me, taken away my Bible and began to push me from one boy to another within the circle. They had done it for a very long time, taunting and jeering and mocking me. Finally, one of them had thrown my precious Bible—the one that my mother had given me right before she died—far out into the lake. They had all left me then, tears streaming down my face, sobs shaking my shoulders. Lose Naomi had found me. Once I told her what had happened, she had become very, very angry. She had known three of the boys in that group. I had never seen her lose her temper like that before. But that was the day I learned how deeply Naomi loved when she loved someone. I missed her very much. She had been my best friend. My only real friend that I had probably ever had. I did not doubt that she would have stuck by me when God gave me the gift of seeing into the spiritual realm. But she was gone by the time that happened. Still. Sometimes I wondered…but I doubted that it mattered whether or not she would have been there when I received it. People would have judged me the same, all that had happened would have happened the same. On some deeper level I realized that perhaps I had to face what I had faced in order to grow stronger in God, to go higher with God. And to realize I could never be alone, no matter how it appeared to me that I was. I crossed my arms and stared at Edison’s scrawling impression of a sunset upon the sidewalk. I wondered where Naomi was now. A breeze blew across my face and played with my hair. It was warm and soothing and carried upon it a sweet, exotic scent. Something like jasmine…which reminded me of my mother for that was her favorite scent… I closed my eyes to breathe it in, the scent as familiar as a memory. “Meredith…” I opened my eyes. That was her voice. “Meredith…” I looked around, bewildered. I saw nothing, nobody. ”Meredith!” This time the voice was more demanding, sounding slightly less like my mother’s. I frowned. Wait a minute. Yes, it sounded like my mother’s voice. But there was a strange note in it that-- A sharp, cruel pain knifed through my brain, leaving me without breath and stealing my ability to think. I doubled over, my hands clenching my head. I tried gulping in air in short, stilted breaths. But it seemed my lungs were refusing the oxygen I tried to give them. With a vague realization I knew I was about to faint… “Meredith!” My knees touched the cement and I would have fallen over if two strong, powerful arms had not caught me. “Meredith. Meredith, whatever the matter is, don’t let this get the best of you. Fight.” I felt so relieved that Finn had me I was tempted to just let the blackness take me. To let the pain have me so that it would go away. “Finn…”I whispered. He pressed a hand to my forehead and whispered. “Oh, dear God, please.” I think he prayed more, but I was not able to hear more. But, ever so slowly, inch by inch, the knifing pain in my head let up until it was gone entirely, leaving in its place a dull but manageable ache. I opened my eyes and breathed in as much air as I could. Finn’s concerned blue gaze met my glazed eyes. I found myself on the couch in the Silverton’s living room, Finn sitting on the edge of the couch. How in the world had I ended up in here without realizing it? I rubbed my temple, groaning slightly. The pain must have been too great for me to have realized anything happening. “She’s awake.” Finn said. I finally noticed Mrs. And Pastor Silverton right behind him. I tried to sit up but found myself too weak. My head hit the pillow behind it once more. I looked up at Finn and studied his beautiful face. I sighed a little. “What happened?” I whispered, bewildered to the greatest degree I had ever been before. Nothing like this had ever, ever happened to me before. He opened his mouth as his golden brows drew together, before closing it again. He avoided my gaze and then said simply. “You need to rest.” “But, Finn, I want to know what happened.” He swallowed and stood from where he had been sitting beside me. “I’ll tell you.” He said quietly. “Didn’t I say I would? I’ll tell you but…not right now. I need—I need to think some things through.” With that, he left the room. Pastor Silverton stared after him, his expression thoughtful. Mrs. Silverton reached down and brushed a strand of hair from my brow. “How about some hot chocolate, dear?” I nodded the tiniest bit, still wary of my headache. “Yes. Thank you. That sounds nice.” I managed to sit up and drink the steamy, sweet liquid. It seemed to sooth my headache somewhat. “Where’s Edison?” I said. “Sleeping.” Mrs. Silverton replied. I cradled the mug of chocolate in my hands and savored the warmth. I bit my lip and glanced up at them. “I’m not sure what happened.” I said, knowing they were concerned. “My head…I just had the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my head. But…it’s gone now. I think I’ll be okay. What time is it, anyway? How long was I out?” “It’s 2:45 in the afternoon,” Pastor Silverton answered. “You were unconscious for five minutes.” I drank the rest of my chocolate and set it on the table beside the couch. I stretched back out and sighed. “I’m just going to…rest…for a while.” I fell asleep and did not awaken till much, much later. When I finally awoke the first thing I heard was the sounds of men’s voices. My brain tried to make them crystalize as I struggled to become fully awake. I sat up on my forearms and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was…7:00 P.M.? I nearly gasped. Had I really been sleeping that long? At least my head wasn’t pounding anymore. I felt much better. I didn’t hear Edison or Mrs. Silverton or Iana’s voices anywhere. I guessed they had probably gone on a walk to the park. I sighed and pushed my hair from my face as I sat up fully and looked toward the window, where a sweet, cool breeze brushed over my skin. The men’s voices were coming from the open window. I stood and stepped towards it, they’re voices becoming clearer as I did so. “…can’t go on like this forever.” The pastor was saying. “These visions of hers, or what have you, seem to me to be growing more dangerous to her.” They were standing on the porch, which was just to the left of the window. Neither of them noticed me. Finn stood, arms crossed, jaw tight, gaze fixated on Pastor Silverton. “What could we do, Smith?” Pastor Silverton looked up. “Don’t you agree with me, Finn? Don’t you think this could be…the death of her eventually?” Finn remained silent, though it seemed his whole body had tensed slightly once Pastor Silverton mentioned death. “Is there nothing you can do, Finn?” “Me?” Finn’s deep voice cracked with incredulity. “What could I possibly do that you could not, Smith?” “I know more than you’ve told me, Aurelius Finn.” Finn’s arms dropped to his sides. “What are you talking about?” Pastor Silverton looked at the ground. “I…found something. Just this week.” Finn continued to look at him, saying nothing. “You know the man I went to visit over at the nursing home every week?” “Yes. Jonathon Miller.” “World War II survivor, you know.” Finn gave a single nod, expression growing wary. “Where is this going, Smith?” “Well, he…was showing me some pictures the other day.” Finn’s face became strange. It turned from wary to stone. I could not decipher a single feeling he might have been experiencing in his expression. Finn turned around, looked out over the yard and crossed his arms once more. Pastor Silverton continued. “He speaks often of his days in the war, Jonathon does. Had some nice photos that I didn’t think much of. Until…he showed me one that was taken seventy years ago. Right before World War II ended.” A chilling premonition touched my skin, raising goose bumps on my arms. “It was a black and white photo of him with a…friend of his. One of his best friends, he said. A friend that…disappeared on May 8, 1945. The end of World War II.” The Pastor walked up close behind Finn and said in a low voice, “Do you know who that man was, Finn?” Finn stood, unmoving, silent. “It was you.” The pastor finished. And then, a little louder, he said, “It was you, Aurelius Finn.” Finn turned halfway around. And when he spoke his voice was hard and contained a dangerous edge. “Are you sure it wasn’t a misunderstanding, Pastor? They seem to happen all the time with me.” “I looked and I looked for a distinction between the man in the picture and you. But I could find nothing.” Finn’s icy expression melted away, replaced with haunted eyes and tortured face. “It’s better not to ask questions like this, Smith. It’s better to leave this alone.” Finn swallowed. “Have you told anyone about this?” “No. Course not.” Finn nodded and sighed. “I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. But I never thought it would be you, my dear friend, that discovered it.” “Am I mad, Finn?” “No. You’re not. It’s me. Me that’s messing with your mind. That has taken too long to come to a decision I should have made long, long ago. But God is good. And He is merciful. And He has…allowed me this time. I know not why.” The pastor shook his head and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. Finn studied him, set his jaw. “Do you want to know, Smith?” “Yes…but I’m afraid it will be too much for my mind to handle.” “Then, prepare yourself, preacher.” Finn said, a strange smile crossing his features. “Because this is a story you shall never forget, though you may not believe me.” Finn turned my way and met my eyes. His smile faded. “You too, Meredith,” He said. “You will need to hear this just as much as the pastor.” Description: Tina Cahill, newly arrived from the East, is determined to get the saloon in Broken Wheel, Texas, closed for good. To that end, she pickets outside the place every afternoon. Unfortunately, so far no one has paid any attention. Vince Yates earned the nickname "Invincible Vince" because of his reputation for letting absolutely nothing stop him. Not his tyrant of a father. Nor the injuries he suffered in the Civil War. Nor the fact that he is Broken Wheel's only attorney and sheriff yet has no law degree. But Vince is about to face his biggest challenge yet: his past has just caught up with him. His father, mother, and the sister he didn't know he had show up in Broken Wheel without warning. His father is still a schemer. His mother is suffering signs of dementia. And his surprise sister immediately falls for one of Vince's best friends. Vince has a lot of people to take care of, and Tina doesn't approve of how he's handling any of them. But with almost all the other men in town married off, Vince finds himself stuck with feisty Tina over and over again. Of course, Tina is the prettiest woman he's ever seen, so if he could just get her to give up her causes, he might go ahead and propose. But he's got one more surprise coming his way: Tina's picketing at the saloon has revealed a dark secret that could put everyone Vince loves in danger. My Review: Stuck Together was a bit of a strange read for me. I am a little familiar with Mary Connealy, but after reading this book I might not read another one of hers. First, the good points of the book. The characters all had distinct personalities. I’m not sure I would call them well-developed. But distinct, yes. All in all, the negative points of this book outweighed any good points it might have had. The characters and situations, from the very beginning were over-exaggerated. It put me in mind of a comic book, actually. I felt like I was reading a comic book, though without the pictures. However, the book was entertaining. I will give it that. As long as I learned to accept the exaggerated parts. Another point of the book I was disappointed with was the amount of research. Most all authors published with Bethany House research their books months in advance. But Mary Connealy did almost no research that I could find. Oh, there were places here and there. But those pieces of information were few and far between. I did enjoy it, but only in the way I would enjoy a comic book. The ridiculousness of the characters and the situations they were placed in made any morals the author tried to teach go right over my head. One thing I will credit the author for was how she introduced her characters. Stuck Together is obviously one in a series. I believe it is the last one. I have not read any of the previous books, but I was still able to understand what was happening clearly. I give Stuck Together 21/2 stars. **I received a kindle copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.** Description: Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole's father has always focused on what she's not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.
Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it's too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father's rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole's plans. After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world. Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father's rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family's legacy? My Review: Full Steam Ahead was not exactly what I was expecting. But it was just as good as I thought it would be. I absolutely adore Karen Witemeyer. I have read all of her previous works. Some of her books more than once. I have been looking forward to Full Steam Ahead for months. It did not disappoint me in the least. Well, perhaps in one point. It had to end. Nicole and Darius were both strong, highly developed characters. More so than some of Karen Witemeyer’s books. I was impressed with Darius’s character. Some male characters of Karen Witemeyer’s can come across as weak. But not Darius! He was a dynamic, fascinating individual. He was tormented by a memory of the past, always trying to make amends for what he deemed as his failures. Nicole wanted to prove herself to her father. She was a very strong female character, matching Darius wit for wit and strength for strength. I enjoyed their quarrels. They were always so intelligent! Nicole was a headstrong female with a very unfeminine characteristic: a head for numbers. One thing I noticed throughout the novel was the amount of research that it took. I’m sure that the author did research with her other books as well. But it was clear that Full Steam Ahead took much more research than usual. Much of the information went over my head, but I did learn a lot as well. I did think that Full Steam Ahead was somewhat unrealistic. The characters fell in love and decided to be together forever within two weeks. But it was so good I didn’t mind that at all. Full Steam Ahead was a fast read. It ended too soon for me. I wanted there to be more. Full Steam Ahead is definitely a new favorite of mine by Karen Witemyer. I can see myself re-reading this one in the future! I give Full Steam Ahead 4 out of 5 stars. **Thank you, Karen Witemeyer, for sending me an influencer copy of your book!!!** In the Field of Grace was a beautiful read. I wasn’t sure at first what it would be like. I’ve read Tessa Afshar and not liked her all that much. But I absolutely loved In the Field of Grace. I believe it was because the author switched from first person to third person. She wrote much better in third person.
Tessa Afshar’s characters were wonderfully developed and realistic. I fell in love with Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. The minor characters were also very well developed and intriguing. The flaws in the main characters (as well as some of the minor characters) were each addressed with and dealt with. I was really impressed with how the author handled each situation. The way the author stated words sometimes made me just stop and reread what I had just read. Sometimes I even read it three times through because it was just so beautiful. The very beginning of the book grabbed my attention and even my emotion. Sometimes the heartache the characters experienced made me almost feel what they were feeling. I believe Tessa Afshar should stick with writing in third person. It definitely works better for her. I can’t wait for her next book! I will definitely be reading it! I give In the Field of Grace 41/2 out of 5 stars. **I received a kindle copy of this book from the publishers through Netgalley. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.** This chapter reveals what exactly Polanco is. I know that you all have probably been wondering about it. This is a chapter that reveals a lot without giving away everything.
Chapter 14 Edison wanted to have a camp out in his tent that he had received for his last birthday. I agreed to camp out with him after he pleaded with me for half an hour. After I gave in, Iana did as well, as Edison had been pleading her as much as he had been pleading with me. So, a few hours before the sun set Iana, Edison, and I all found ourselves in the Silverton’s backyard trying to figure out how to set up the tent. Edison had lost the instructions, Pastor Silverton was out making a call, and Mrs. Silverton was baking cookies, so we were on our own. I stared at the miscellaneous items that were supposed to build the tent. “Do you think this goes in this?” Iana said, trying to put a long pole-like thing into one of the holes of the tent fabric. “Ummmm…yes?” “Are you asking me or are you telling me?” “I haven’t done this before either.” I informed her. Edison was no help, bouncing around the yard as he was. Then he stopped moving and gasped. “What if…” He sped toward the back door and flung open the screen door. “Mom!” He yelled. “Can we have a bonfire with s’mores, too?” There was a pause. Then, “I suppose if Meredith and Iana are with you, you’ll be fine.” He let the screen door slam shut and pumped his fist in the air. “All right! Go! Go! Go!” He resumed running in circles around the yard. I stared at the tent helplessly before glancing at Iana. “We need help.” I moaned. Iana stared fixedly at the pieces. “I mean…it’s just a tent…how many people does it take to put it up?” I looked at her bleakly. “Obviously more than two.” “Hello family!” Said a muffled voice from within the house. “Adam’s here!” Iana jumped an inch off the ground when Edison screamed those two words right behind her. Adam came out onto the back porch as Edison came to the door. “Adam!” “Hi, there, Edison. You’re excited.” “And…that’s new to you?” Iana asked, pressing a hand to her temple. “Can you help us with the tent? Iana and Meredith can’t do it. But you’ve done it, so you know how!” “All right. I’ll help.” Adam surveyed the tent and nodded. “Simple enough.” Within five minutes, he had assimilated the pieces into a tent. Iana and I clapped when he put the final stake in. He bowed and looked up with a grin. “Always out in impress the ladies, you know.” He said with a wink. “Well, that certainly was impressive.” Iana replied. “Are you staying for dinner?” Edison asked his brother. “Yeah. I’m staying. It’s Friday so it’s fried chicken, you know. My favorite.” “Mine too.” Edison said. Adam grinned. “Everything you eat is your favorite.” Adam surveyed the tent he had just erected. “Oh, and Finn is coming as well.” Edison’s face lit up. “Maybe you and Finn can have s’mores with us! I’ll have to ask Dad when he gets back if we can have a campfire to make them.” I smiled a small, soft smile. Finn was coming. My heart got all fluttery ********************************************************************** Finn did not show up to dinner, nor did he show up for s’mores. Edison kept on saying that he would show up, as Aurelius Finn never broke his word. “He’s kept every promise he’s every made to me!” Edison exclaimed. “He’ll be here, he will.” “Edison, that is your last one,” Mrs. Silverton said. “You have had six s’mores already.” Edison nodded in compliance as he stuffed the rest of his seventh s’more into his mouth as if afraid his mother would take it from him. Once everybody had had their fill of s’mores, Edison laid down on the grass next to the camp fire and fell asleep. I studied his cherubic, freckled face cast in the light of the dying flames. He was so jubilant, Edison was. But sometimes I sensed an almost adult solemnity within his boyishness that confused me. What was it that Edison had been through that had caused that to come to being in him? What circumstances had created that solemnness that only adults should have? I cleared my throat and looked at the pastor and his wife. “Pastor Silverton…I was wondering…Edison has mentioned the word…Polanco…a few times. He seems so serious when he talks of it. But he has never told me the meaning of that word.” The husband and wife exchanged a glance that meant a thousand words. “It feels like forever ago that it happened.” Mrs. Silverton said quietly. “But I suppose that it was only a year ago that our little boy was returned to us. Safe and whole.” “Returned…to you?” I questioned. The pastor nodded and stared at Edison with great intensity. “You see…when he was four we discovered that he was a prodigy. He could play Beethoven’s sonata within three days of practicing it. He picked up the violin, the guitar, the cello and mastered them within hours. Nellie and I,” Pastor Silverton glanced at his wife. “Were so excited. We told all our friends and neighbors that our little boy was a musical genius. Soon, the New York Times contacted us, wanting to do a special article just on Edison. We didn’t see why not, so we gave them an interview and let them take a picture and such.” “All of New York knew about Edison Silverton after that article.” Mrs. Silverton said, staring at her son. “Two weeks after that article was published was when it happened.” She whispered, her eyes a sad, haunted look. “What happened?” Iana and I whispered together. Adam glanced up, looked at his parents. “Edison was kidnapped.” He answered, his eyes turning to the flickering fire. Iana’s and my mouth dropped open. “But—but how is he even here right now?” Iana stammered out. The pastor shook his head. “That was the part we could never figure out.” “It was Finn.” Adam said, looking up at me and Iana. “Finn…found him. Saved him. How I could not say. Nor will he tell me.” He shrugged. “But that is just how Aurelius Finn is. That man has more secrets than any man ought to carry.” I didn’t doubt it. I wished he wouldn’t keep all those secrets. It made it very difficult to understand him. “How long was Edison gone?” I asked in a whispery voice. “A year.” Edison’s mother replied. “One horrible year. It tested our faith, that trial did. Put us both through more fire and more heat than any trial we had ever experienced before that time.” “It’s almost unheard of that a child should be recovered after he has been kidnapped and been gone that long.” Adam said. “But we were friends with Finn. And Finn…well…let’s just say he was some powerful connections.” “When Finn found out that Edison had been kidnapped, he was weeping along with us.” The pastor said. “How did it happen?” I asked. “He was playing just down the street at a friend’s house,” Mrs. Silverton replied. “I was there as well. Edison decided to go home to get a toy…without telling me. By the time I found out what had happened he was gone. A stranger reported seeing a man getting out of a car and picking up a little boy with bright red hair off of the sidewalk before driving away with him. That was the last any of us heard of him for an entire year. I called my husband, and he called Adam. The police couldn’t help until Edison had been missing for twenty-four hours. When that time finally passed and the search started, it was too late.” “Finn was off on a business trip.” Adam said. “I called him. He came back the next day.” “Showed up on our doorstep.” Nellie said. “When I opened the door and saw him, I thought I was looking at a ghost or the like. He was the palest I have ever seen him look. His hair was wild, his clothes so rumpled no iron could ever help them again. I shook my head and just said, ‘He’s lost, Finn. I think he’s lost forever.’ Then Finn hugged me and said, ‘The only forever there is in eternity, Nellie. And he’s not lost, Nellie. He’s not lost. God has him. God always has and always will.’ Then he began to cry, Finn did.” Nellie swallowed. “I never saw him like that before and I doubt I ever will again. It was as if he actually took my grief upon him and helped me cry and let at least some of the burden go. I thought later that night that it felt almost as if Jesus himself had been comforting me through Finn.” Smith took his wife’s hand. “He was.” He said. “Finn is so close to God,” Adam said quietly. “Sometimes when I’m in his presence I feel this…peace. This perfect peace overwhelm my spirit.” “I know what you mean.” His father said, smiling softly. His smile slipped. “But sometimes I feel this…restlessness as well. It’s a strange combination.” After a moment of contemplation I said, “So…what happened to Edison in Polanco?” Smith shook his head. “He refuses to discuss it. He will only say they made him play his music for money and sometimes they took him to bad places and forgot to feed him.” “He wants to forget about it.” Nellie said. “And I don’t blame him. I want to as well. So we never asked him too much about it. Only told him he could talk to us about whatever he wanted to talk to us about. We began to take him to a psychiatrist two weeks after he came back to us.” “But the boy is stubborn,” Smith said with a smile. “He refused to talk for six months. At nine months he finally told us what we told you but would say nothing more. He seemed almost like his normal self by then so we stopped taking him to the psychiatrist.” “I think he told Finn everything.” Adam said thoughtfully. “But then…Finn is the one that saved him. For those first six months Finn searched every avenue he could to find Edison.” “And…the last six months?” Iana asked. Adam shrugged. “The man vanished. Utterly vanished. Not a word from him for six months. Not a phone call or a text or a letter or anything. He came into my room one night, told me he had to leave for a while. Perhaps a long while. That I might have to work double time in order to keep up with everything with our business. But that was all he said. But he never told me he would be gone so long…or that he would come back with my little brother.” “He just…showed up six months later with Edison?” I said. “A year to the day.” Smith replied. “Adam, Nellie, and I were actually praying in our living room for peace about the whole situation. We thought Finn might be gone as well, so we were praying for both of them.” “Then the doorbell rang.” Adam said, with a smile. “Right in the middle of our prayers.” “We all went to the door,” Nellie continued. “And I nearly fainted with joy and relief. There was Finn holding a sleeping Edison in his arms. Both were whole and unharmed, though Edison was so skinny I could see every bone through his skin.” “Finn looked so wild.” Adam said. “He had a beard and long hair and dirt under his nails. A gun in a holster in his belt. But they were both there. Safe. Perfectly safe.” “But…he never told you his side of the story?” I questioned in a soft voice. “No,” Nellie said. “But perhaps it’s just as well. I don’t believe my heart could handle everything that happened during that year.” For about fifteen minutes after the story of Polanco—or at least one side of the story—had been told, we stared into the remaining enders of the fire. One by one, the adults left. Iana and I tucked Edison into his sleeping back inside of the tent. Iana stretched out by him and was soon breathing the soft, regular breaths of sleep. I stared at Edison’s profile in the dark, my mind whirling. How strange it was to think that Edison might have been died had not Finn found him. Life without the little boy for the Silverton’s…well it would be like life without joy. Edison had so much joy in him. So much youth and vigor and fun. He was everything a little boy should be. I silently slipped out of the tent and walked the edges of the yard, running my hand along the fence. The boundary of the Silverton’s yard. I stopped by the door to the fence and stared up at the moon. It was close to midnight by now. This would be the first promise that Finn would break. It made me feel sad. But then I heard a noise. A soft yet disturbing click. Somebody was opening the door to the high wooden fence that surrounded the yard. Panicked, I looked around for a weapon and found an empty flower pot. I picked it up and slipped to the side of the door as it opened. The intruder would never see me coming. As soon as he stepped past the door I rushed at him. But he must have seen me or sensed me because he moved so quickly I scarcely knew what had happened before I felt the pot being taken from my grip and my arms being held behind my back. Then a deep, husky voice rumbling close to my ear, “That would have worked had I been an untrained criminal, you understand. I admire you for trying. But ‘tis only me, Meredith. And I shall never hurt you.” He let me go. I whirled around and stared at him, wide-eyed. “You—you’re here.” His smile was slow and a little lazy in coming. I knew it was a smile just for me. He was teasing me with that smile. I crossed my arms and stared back, refusing to be teased, though my color heightened against my will. But surely the moonlight could not reveal that to him! “Told Edison I would be,” Finn finally replied. “Couldn’t break my word, could I? It’s five minutes from midnight , you know. I’m here. Just as I said.” “You’re here.” I repeated a bit lamely. He nodded and stared up at the moon before beginning to walk in a slow, small circle around me. I stayed where I was, feet in one place on the grass, eyes staring straight ahead. What was he trying to do? “I’ve been here a while, actually.” Finn said. “Why didn’t you join us, then?” I said, bewildered by his strange behavior. “I was listening. I get the best information that way. And…I needed to think.” “O…kay.” He suddenly flashed a grin at me that nearly matched the crescent of the moon above our heads. “It’s strange sometimes, Meredith. Strange to finally know that I’ve found you after I’ve searched for so long.” I blinked and said rather dumbly. “Is it?” “Mm hm.” He stopped circling me for a moment and looked into my face. “I don’t know how to tell you everything. Or even if you want to know everything. I wanted to start at the beginning. But…perhaps if I started with Edison you would come to the realization more gradually and…easily than if I gave it to you all at once.” “So…you won’t tell me everything all at once?” He shook his head. “It might be…overpowering…all that I have to tell you. One thing at a time would be best, I believe.” I nodded hesitantly. “So…where will you start?” Finn looked into my eyes. “Edison. With Edison. I’ve never told anybody this story. And I doubt I shall ever tell it again.” “I do wish to know your side.” I answered him. “And I will keep secret anything you want me to.” He studied me. My soul more than my face it seemed. After a moment , he reached out and took my hand. “I know that, love. But that you told me you would…it pleases me very much. Very much, indeed.” He looked about the yard. “Come now. Let’s find a place to sit. This will be a conversation, Meredith, about nothing I have discussed with anyone before. Except those among the Seven. And even then, only those who remained faithful.” “You’ve got to tell me that story soon as well.” “When you’re ready, love. But for now this one will do fine.” We sat down on the edge of the porch. Finn stared down at his hands for a moment. When he finally began to speak, his voice was deep and still and husky. His voice was tinged with the poignancy of his rememberings. “The first time I held Edison, when he was just a baby, I knew he would be extraordinary. I have that in me, you know. I can sense what people are like, can know what they were in the past, what they will become in the future. A benefit of being one of the Seven. But all of us have different gifts. Discernment is one of mine…usually.” He paused, frowned a bit. “But then, I’m telling you a different story, so you need not know that one for a while.” He said this as if to himself before continuing. “When Edison was kidnapped I did everything I could do in this world to get him back. When all my searching came to no fruition and I realized even I could not find him I knew then that this was a test God had not given me yet. This was a trial my soul had not experienced.” He gave a short, humorless laugh. “And I had the pride to think I had known every trial, experienced every fire and could conquer anything that came my way.” He glanced up, met my gaze, his eyes a tortured blue. “Did I not know that a man’s pride shall make him fall? And yet I chose to keep that vice.” Without warning, he stood, paced, countenance troubled. I blinked as I stared at him. Was his face beginning to…grow brighter? “How long have I inhabited this earth? How long have I seen the many sins of man and the payment those sins demand? And yet, there I was, determined to be just like a man!” I leaned back and scooted the tiniest bit farther away from him. His face was shining! The light was the color of sunlight but as bright as a star. I stood up and stared at him, mouth open. “Finn…” I could only mouth his name. He stopped pacing when he noticed my face. Then he sighed and closed his eyes. The light faded from his countenance. He opened his eyes once more. The anger in him had left with the light. But what remained troubled my soul even more. Desperation. The deepest I had ever seen it. And sorrow. More sorrow than one man could bear, it appeared to me. But then…Aurelius Finn…he was—perhaps—a different type of man. A stronger type of man. A man with more soul than most. A man with more depth of heart than most. “I chose this life,” He said. “I chose it because I…wondered…” The intensity he directed my way after he said the word wondered left me with bewildered and shy feeling fluttering within my breast. I dropped my gaze to his feet, a blush wandering up from my toes, staining my cheeks. I was afraid to ask exactly what it was that he wondered about. But I was just as afraid he would never tell me if I never asked right then and there. So I just said, “Wondered?” “What it was like…for a man to love a woman.” My eyes shot up to his. But a self-mocking smile crept upon his face and he shook his head. “But that is not the story I agreed to tell you now, was it? So I shall leave that one for another day. Another time. And…when next you ask…” He looked away for a brief moment, turned back and delved so deeply into my soul with his eyes that it was as if his soul interwove with mine. And perhaps it did. “I will tell you, Meredith.” It felt like a promise, those five words. His blue gaze and my brown gaze melted together. And something happened in the moments after he said that. Something that bound us together. How fragile or how strong the bond I could not say. I broke the spell, blinking first. He walked back over and sat down beside me again. The moonlight filled silence reigned between us. He began to speak again, starting his words with a deep sigh. “The first time I held Edison, I loved him. He was just a baby. An orphaned baby just hours before. I wanted to…protect him. Keep him from trouble forever. Keep him as sweet and as pure as he was in that first moment I held him. And I thought I had succeeded. But I had forgotten something.” “What?” I whispered. “Edison’s safety was not in my hands. Or his parents hands. No matter how we loved him. No matter how hard we tried to keep him safe. His safety was in God’s hands. He was in God’s hands. I had put myself where God was supposed to be.” He gave a self-depreciating upturn of his lips. “That never works out well in the end, you know. A fallible soul like mine could never take the place of a holy and perfect God.” His eyes fell to the silvered ground. “I think the Silverton’s got that same pride and mentality I had. That may have been a reason why Edison was kidnapped. To break the pride of the people that loved him. And bring those people to the realization that all life is in God’s hand. And no life can be controlled by man. For God decides if a man is to die or is to live every second of every day. And He controls the fate of those Who love Him and has mercy on those who choose not to.” I nodded slightly. “How—how did you find Edison?” He shook his head. “First six months I pulled every string I had. Followed every rabbit trail that appeared. But still I was leaning on my own self. Relying on my own strength. When I knew I had done everything I could possibly do and came to the very brink of my endurance, to the very precipice of…destroying myself…I cried out to God. I was so ashamed. I have lived on earth so long. I should have known better. But I fell into a trap. A very simple one. But I fall for those most. And…I always have. But…when I cried out to God…in desperation…in shame…as my last resort instead of my first plan…He was merciful. Compassionate. He answered me. Through that whole time He was waiting for me to turn to Him. To give Him what He needed of me so He could work through me. And when I say ‘what he needed of me’ I mean all of me. God demands everything you are, everything you have. Only when he had everything could he do his perfect work in me. And when I surrendered everything to Him, He gave me one more trail to follow. But I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. I got up and left. Was gone for six months. For six months I searched for that dear little boy who is sleeping safe in that tent right this moment. I knew not if he was alive or dead. But I had to find what had happened to him. And finally, by the will of God, by the grace of God, I found him. Fought my way to get him back. Brought him home on a little airplane I flew myself. He wasn’t the same when I found him. He was so thin, so sad, when I saw him for the first time since he had been kidnapped. He was playing his violin. Accompanying a little girl with a beautiful voice. The way he played it was not the way I remembered. But the quality of it stirred my heart enough to look for the violinist playing. And it was him. Thank God.” I swallowed and stared down at my hands, processing this in my mind. “How about…the little girl?” I asked after a length of time had passed. A look of incredible anguish covered his face. “I tried to save her, too,” He said. “But she…when the gunfire started…she was caught in the crossfire…died instantly.” A tear slipped down his cheek, fell off his jaw. I followed it with my eyes to where it landed on the porch. His hand nearest mine was squeezed into a tight, tight fist. I reached out and laid my hand atop of his. “You cannot perform all the good of the world.” I said. “But you have done so much good. You befriended the Silvertons, helped Adam start your company. You saved Edison. Saved me the first day I was in New York City.” He turned his hand over and interlaced our fingers. “Would that I could do more.” He whispered. “But sometimes I cannot by reason of who I am.” “One of the Seven.” I said. He nodded barely. “And I have not chosen yet. And I have not been sealed. I wanted to find you before I did.” “Have you…decided?” I said, not knowing what the decision would be, but wanting to know anyway. He looked at me, smiled and raised our intertwined hands up. “Oh, yes.” He whispered. “I decided the first time I saw you. But I have yet to tell you everything. Once I do, it will be for you to decide.” “I hope I make the right choice, then.” I said, naïve as I was about the situation. He let out a breath of laughter. “I think you will.” He replied. Looking into my eyes, intertwining our souls with his gaze once more, he said again, “I think you will.” After Finn left that night I did not go back into the tent with Iana and Edison. I walked the yard and stared at the stars, thinking and thinking and thinking. But it was as if no thought had an ending and no notion had any solidity. Oh, how my heart broke for Finn! How sad his soul had been when he had spoken to me of how he had found Edison and everything that had happened before and after. And how I wondered about him…how I tried to reason out in my mind who exactly he was! But I could not know anything because I did not know everything. It was somewhat frustrating, not knowing everything. But…seeing his heart tonight…I wondered if I wanted to know everything. Eventually, tired by emotion and the circular motion of my thoughts, I drifted into the house and laid down on the sofa in the living room. I stared up into the dark, trying to find the ceiling. I prayed for peace, asked for God to bless Finn with it as well. I must have fallen asleep praying for the next thing I knew, I heard the voices of the pastor and his wife in the kitchen. I inhaled a deep, great breath and smelled newly brewed coffee. Light from the awakening sun cascaded through a nearby window, slowly cleansing the room of lingering darkness. I sat up and pushed my hair away from my face ineffectually before blinking slowly and draping my arms over the back of the sofa, peering through the doorway that connected the living room and kitchen. I saw Pastor Silverton drinking his coffee and reading the morning newspaper. There was the quiet sound of a refrigerator opening and closing. Mrs. Silverton was making breakfast. It felt strange for them to be starting a day like this. It felt so…normal. But so many things in their life had happened that were decidedly not normal. Yet…still they were able to live and live with peace. Perhaps one of God’s greatest gifts in life was the ability to move on once tragedy struck. Perhaps one of His gifts was leaving that tragedy behind and moving on with Him. Health could be destroyed, people could hurt you, those you love could die. Bad things happened. Sometimes, horrible, wretched things. But perhaps God wants you to leave those things at the altar and move on with Him and keep on with Him. God uses bad things to soften you, to correct you, to mold you in order to use you for His divine and glorious purpose. Perhaps that purpose would be in this life. Perhaps in the next. But He does not allow pain without reason. And always with pain will He give grace sufficient for you. The cost of pain is either bitterness or goodness. Pain will make you bitter. Or it will make you better. The one receiving the pain must choose the cost. Pastor Silverton glanced my way and froze. He squinted in my direction. “Meredith,” He said. “Is that you, child? I didn’t realize anyone was in there.” “It’s me, pastor.” I replied. Mrs. Silverton poked her head around the corner. “Are you all right, dear? What are you doing in there? Did you sleep on the sofa last night?” I smiled a secret smile to myself. It was so nice to have people who cared about me. “I did,” I said. “I needed to think and somehow wound up in here.” “Ground too hard for you?” The pastor asked. “You could say that.” He shrugged. “Well, I don’t blame you. I don’t camp anymore. The ground is too hard for my old bones.” He took a swig of coffee and frowned. “Finn didn’t show up last night, did he?” I gave a little sigh. “He did for a few minutes,” I said simply. “He said that he’s never broken a promise to Edison and never will.” Pastor Silverton smiled. “He is a faithful man.” He said, going back to his paper. “That is only one of Aurelius Finn’s many admirable traits.” His wife said from the depths of the kitchen. I heard her crack an egg and frying it on a skillet. “Ah, yes,” The pastor winked at me. “I heard someone say once that not even the number of the stars could not measure up to the number of exemplary qualities the man possesses.” I smiled faintly. Yes. I agreed entirely. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter Description: When Laura Gantt returns to Georgia to handle her late mother's estate, she hears a startling rumor---that her father staged his drowning years ago and has recently been spotted roaming the mountains.
With the help of her former high school sweetheart, Laura searches for the truth. But will what they find destroy their rekindled feelings? My Review: A Stillness of Chimes has a mysterious aura. The words and descriptions used are lyrical and beautiful. The thing I really enjoyed about this author was the way she wrote. Her writing was so natural and flowing and mysterious. A lot of authors seem to have to force mystery like that into their words. But I did not sense that Moseley had to. A Stillness of Chimes surprised me by its emotion and depth. I had never even heard of Meg Moseley before I read this book. I wasn’t quite sure about it at first, but the more I read, the more intrigued I came. It was an excellent book with a unique plotline. Forgiveness is the overlying theme. Not allowing fear to control you was perhaps the sub-theme. A Stillness of Chimes also teaches what the price of adultery is. The characters were so well-written that they felt real. I rarely come across books where I feel as though the characters are so real. I wondered dubiously at the name of the book before I read it. But it actually fits perfectly. This novel also surprised me by the many plot twists it took. Most of them were near the ending. I didn’t even guess it would end the way it did. It’s kind of a sad ending. But it makes sense. The romantic tension between the main characters—Laura and Sean—was almost tangible. It added a sweet underlying current to the book. One thing the author could have been a little clearer on was the presentation of the gospel. She spoke of the blood of Christ and altar calls and such but never actually presented the entire gospel message. At least, not that I found. In its entirety, A Stillness of Chimes was a wonderful read. The storyline and characters drew me in and held me captive until the final words. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who likes a little mystery and a sweet, clean romance. I will be looking for more books by Meg Moseley in the future. I give A Stillness of Chimes 4 out of 5 stars. **Blogging for Books provided a kindle copy of this book to me for free in exchange for an honest review, which I have given. The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.** Description: When Amelia Wagner takes over the running of her father's newspaper in Granite Springs, Arizona, she vows to carry on the paper's commitment to reporting only the truth. But Amelia soon learns that even the truth can have consequences. Her father's revealing articles about Great Western Investment Company's business methods have caught the notice of the wrong person, and pressure mounts for Amelia to retract her father's statements. Determined to find the truth, Amelia goes through her father's notes and begins to interview members of the community. She can't seem to shake Benjamin Stone, a Great Western employee who's been assigned to keep tabs on her for the good of the company. The more Ben and Amelia learn, the more Amelia's father's claims appear to be accurate. In fact, it's probably worse than he realized. Even Ben is beginning to wonder if he's become a pawn in the workings of a corrupt empire. But Great Western isn't about to stand for a female reporter and one of their own men bringing down their lucrative schemes. Working against time, and never knowing what danger lurks around the next corner, Ben and Amelia set out to reveal all they've discovered before Great Western silences them for good. My Review: Yes, I know that A Passion for Truth is not the title for this book. But it seemed more appropriate and a little less mundane that the title Truth Be Told. I enjoy Carol Cox’s books. Her plots are always solid, her mysteries are always well thought-out and interesting, though usually not too complex. Truth Be Told was an entertaining, easy read. Ben Stone and Amelia Wagner were nice characters, though perhaps somewhat boring. They nearly always acted the exact way I expected them to act, always thought the way I expected them to think. The mystery was interesting, though. The plot of Truth Be Told was set at a steady pace, neither fast nor slow. There were some exciting moments as well. At one point, it seemed as though Amelia’s world was crashing down. But it all worked out in the end for her. Homer, Amelia’s right-hand man, was a sweet character. He always stuck by Amelia, no matter what. I liked that the author scenes from the antagonist’s point of view. Usually, an author won’t do that. I did wish that I could have met Amelia’s mother. Amelia spoke much of her in the story, but her mother never actually was in the book. I got a hint of what kind of woman Amelia’s mother was but it would have been nice if there had been a little more there about her. The morals scattered throughout the book were relatable and well-presented. The theme of the book was John 8:31b-32 "If ye continue in My word, then ye are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." All in all, Truth Be Told was an enjoyable read, but probably not something I’ll ever read again. I give it 31/2 out of 5 stars. **I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers for my honest review, which I have given. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.** Description: Dutiful Jessamine Barry is tired of waiting patiently for a man to decide her future. So even though Lancelot Marfleet, second son of an aristocrat, is taking an interest in her during the London season, she refuses to consider him as a suitor. Instead, she's ready to take fashionable society by storm--and finds a rakish young man all too willing to help her do it. When things go too far, Jessamine will learn that the man who is faithful through thick and thin is more worthy than the one who speaks pretty words. But will her disgrace keep Lance from reconsidering her as a wife? And when tragedy strikes and Lance becomes his father's heir and a titled gentleman, will he think she only wants him now because of his title? My Review: A Heart’s Rebellion was actually the perfect name for this book. Jessamine—though not outwardly rebellious—was rebelling in her heart against God after she did not get what she wanted. I’ve never really read anything by Ruth Axtell. But I was pleasantly surprised. The characters were well-developed and constant. I wasn’t sure if I quite liked Jessamine at first. But the more I read the more I understood and liked her. Lancelot was a sweet character. He was shy and quiet. Quite different from the usual heroes of most stories I read. Sometimes I wished he were a little bolder towards Jessamine. But that was just who he was. It took me a while to really get into the story. The end, for me, seemed to drag just a little. But, all in all, it was a good book. I would like to read another one of Ruth Axtell’s if I get the chance. The characters from the first book in this series Moonlight Masquerade were in A Heart’s Rebellion as well. I didn’t read the first book, but it was quite obvious who the characters were from it. I understood everything completely without having to have read Moonlight Masquerade, which I appreciated. A Heart’s Rebellion was a good read with excellent morals portrayed. However, it is not one that I will read again. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. **I received this book through Netgalley from the publishers for my honest opinion. The opinions stated are mine and mine alone. ** |
Grab my button!
Reviewing Next:
Click the button below and it will lead you to a wondrous place!
AuthorI love Jesus, taking long walks, reading, writing, (did I mention reading?) and eating chocolate. Archives
May 2015
Categories
All
|