Lost Mission

Title: Lost Mission
Author: Athol Dickson

Blurb (from Amazon)

Among the dirt-poor barrios and ultra-wealthy enclaves lining the hills of southern California, a construction project unearths a long-lost Spanish mission. This discovery sets off a chain of events that presents four unrelated people—Reverend Tucker Lockwood, Concha Rivera, Delano Jones, and Detective Harmony Killeen—with difficult choices. In every case, a greater good could be served with a compromise of some basic moral value. Lockwood could steal to feed the poor. Delano Jones could lie—or at least bury the truth—to protect his monument to God's law. Concha Rivera, a Christian with a strong sense of mission, could trespass to preach the Gospel. Detective Killeen could betray her sense of legal responsibility to defend her family. It seems these devil's alternatives will inspire these modern people to perpetuate the very crime that left the mission buried and forgotten 250 years ago—a mystery that is gradually revealed through research into a mysterious triptych excavated at the mission site, as well as through historical flashbacks. At least two themes of magical realism appear repeatedly through the story. First is the appearances of Santos, a mysterious being characterized by a crooked nose, in both the contemporary and historical storylines. And second, the gradual appearance of faces on the triptych as the story's four protagonists—often with the help of a mysterious Hispanic man with the crooked nose—decide whether they will repeat the mistakes of the past.


My take:

This is a complex story that is well-written. However... it is not linear at all. The author jumps back in forth in time, from one character's point of view to a different one - all without any warning at all. This can be unsettling. As good as the story was, I never got used to it and it bothered me throughout the entire book.

There are a lot of different issues covered in this book. It would be a good one for a group discussion and I didn't find the plot boring in the least. The characters are realistic and I wanted to find out what happened to them. I can't say I agreed with all the theological stands taken in the book, but there were a lot of good points made.

I would suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a thoughtful book and doesn't mind it skipping around quite a bit.

We Made It!

Just a quick post to let you all know that we finally made it to our new house and the internet is turned on (I thought I would go crazy without it lol). I'm buried in cardboard boxes right now, but life should settle down soon and things will get back to normal.

So be prepared ~ you'll have to put up with me around here again in no time at all. ;o)

Maid to Match

Title: Maid to Match
Author: Deeanne Gist
ISBN: 9780764204081

Blurb (from Goodreads):

From the day she arrives at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled--by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack's rugged behavior by tutoring him in the ways of refined society, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt's lady's maid. But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangled in a cover-up at the town orphanage. They could both lose their jobs...and their hearts.

My take:

This is on my list of favorites for the year! Deeanne Gist is always one of my go-to authors for romances that really deliver the goods. This book is no exception.

What made this story unique was the setting. Biltmore is an awe inspiring place even today. Back when Edith Vanderbilt actually lived there it was a miracle. I loved reading about the sound of the electric lights or the innovative heating system ... and all the other things that make Biltmore and the Vanderbilts so unique.

On top of one of the best settings ever, she created some truly powerful characters. Tillie is smart and ambitious. She has a plan for her future and that plan doesn't include falling for the new useful man ... Even if he is too handsome for words, thinks of what she needs before she asks, knows when to be silent and then talks to her like a real person. Nope, her plan includes waiting on rich ladies and being part of their life so she can travel. She'll do whatever they want, whenever they want... but she'll be able to wear fine clothes and go to balls ...

Mack wants freedom, space to roam (he hates city life) and to take care of his family. He's hot-headed and quick with his fists. His sister and younger brothers were sent out to other families and an orphanage and he finds out they're not really getting the care they need. In fact, his sister is being beaten. He needs to fix the situation - and fast. He detests money and those who have a lot of it, but working at Biltmore may be his only way to get his sister out. That's when he meets Tillie ...

This story has plenty to offer. It was so interesting. You not only have a great romance with a wonderful backdrop - but there was also the story of the orphanage and what was going to happen to the children there. The author did a great job of addressing the whole idea what our priorities should be while also showing that not all people who have money are greedy, selfish pigs. lol

This is a funny, warm, genuine, book. I pre-ordered it a long time ago and I can tell this is one I'll be re-reading. The author is also hosting a trip to Biltmore estate. You can find out more about that here: Getaway With Dee

Don't forget that I have the giveaway for A Love of Her Own. It ends midnight on the 27th. :o)

Seeds of Summer & Contest

Title: Seeds of Summer
Author: Deborah Vogts
ISBN: 978-0-310-29276-0

Goodreads blurb:

A heart-warming contemporary romance set in the Flint Hills of Kansas where a former rodeo queen abandons her dreams in order to care for her deceased father’s ranch and her two half-siblings, only to realize with the help of a young new pastor that God can turn even the most dire circumstances into seeds of hope.
Spanning the Seasons of the Tallgrass, each story in this series reveals the struggle of the people who live there and the dreams they have for the land until they come full-circle in a never-ending cycle, just as man comes full-circle in his understanding of God.

My Take:

I hadn't read the first book in the series yet (Snow Melts in Spring) so I read that one just in case you needed to - you don't. Some of the characters carry over, but you can read this book on it's own. What I was blown away by was how very good she is at making a setting come alive - and writing characters that don't seem two dimensional. It is very hard to believe this is only her second book.

I'm was more than a little picky and sentimental when reading these books too. You see ~ they are written about the area I live in and will soon be moving away from. So I can tell you that she got it right. If you want to know what it's like in this area, just pick up the book and read. She does an excellent job making the countryside come alive for you.

Then there are the people. Sometimes in fiction we meet some cardboard cut-outs. You know the ones I mean ~ they have no real depth, and you can't really relate to them. You can kind of tell where the author was trying to go ... but they didn't quite make it because the characters fell flat. These people are genuine. You can imagine meeting them in the grocery store or at the next family reunion. Maybe they live next door and maybe they are just like you.

These were a great read. I was provided a copy for review and I'm very thankful for that. It didn't influence my review at all. (I bought Snow Melts in Spring myself and also think that is terrific and should be on everyone's TBR list).

Since I'm getting ready to move, I've decided to pass on another blessing to someone else. I have an extra copy of the brand new book A Love of Her Own by Maggie Brandon. Just agree to review it on your blog to pass the word around.

In one comment tell me whether you're a follower, became a follower, if you advertised this contest on your blog, and your email address (with spaces or spell out dot and that sort of thing).

The contest ends the 27th of June. It's a lovely book and I wish you all the best of luck. :o)

My movers will be here the first week of July and I still haven't sold my old house ... so things have been a bit crazy and stressful here. Thanks for being patient with me. I have a few reviews to catch up on and I am sorry for not being very good at keeping up lately. Life has been hectic.

Blessings~

Dad's Bible

Looking for a Father's Day present for your Dad or husband? This might be just the thing. This Bible is full of features that make it very useful.

The Bible is hardcover and has a nice cover design. It's done in the New Century Version which is one of the easier translations to understand. That makes it really good if you want this to be a Bible that can be used not only for the Dad - but for him to use with his children as well. The pages also aren't so thin that that you have trouble turning them.

Then come the features. Like most Bibles, each book comes with a short introduction. Then they have all their special sections. Some are interspersed throughout the Bible (though there is an index in the back so you can find specific ones when/if you need them).

They are:

Walking in Authority ~ This is all about being the family leader & servant God intends. One of the ones I read talked about the monument built to remind the Israelites about what God had done for them and how everyone who saw that was pointed back to what God had done in their lives. Then it asked what people think when they see your house? Do they think of someone who is kind, generous, who loves God - or is it just a house with our name on the mailbox?

Godly Character ~ The one I read talked about the disciples walking on the road to Emmaus and how they were having trouble with their faith.

Passing It On ~ This section is all about advice on dealing with difficult situations with our children. One I read was about responding to people/situations that are overwhelmingly hostile. It related it back to David and Saul and how David trusted God to be his protection.

Dad's in the Bible ~ Profiles of Biblical dads with life lessons.

Building Your Children ~ These were much longer (whole page from what I saw) lesson on seven key areas of focus for building godly character traits in your children.

Insights ~ These were short, inspirational/motivational thoughts you can reflect and then act upon.

In the back of the Bible they also have a question and answer resource. They have pages of common questions children ask with Scripturally-based answers.

They have a section in the back where you can look up what the Bible has to say about peace or joy or grace and that kind of thing. It does not have a concordance though or study notes in the main body of the Bible. Still, I think this is a wonderful resource and I know just who I plan to gift mine to. :o)

I want to thank Thomas Nelson for providing my review copy. I appreciated it, but did not allow it to influence my review.

A Tailor-Made Bride

Title: A Tailor-Made Bride
Author: Karen Witemeyer
ISBN: 978-0-7642-07556

From Goodreads:

A dressmaker who values beauty tangles with a liveryman who condemns vanity, yet when something deeper than vexation sparks between them, will it be enough to unknot their differences?

Jericho "J.T." Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry's new dressmaker. He's all too familiar with her ilk – shallow women more devoted to the latest fashions than to the true beauty of godly service. Yet as his daily routine intertwines with hers, he discovers that except for her well-tailored clothes, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery across the street. The unsmiling fellow riles her at every turn with his arrogant assumptions, but his acts of kindness contradict his cantankerous attitude. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?

When Hannah spruces up Jericho's sister to help her catch a beau, will Jericho and Hannah find enough grace and understanding to bridge the gap between them, or will prejudice and stubborn pride keep them apart?

My Take:

This is one of those books I looked forward to ever since I saw the cover art last year. The more I read about it, the more I wanted to read it. It didn't disappoint.

I know you shouldn't judge a book by a cover ~ but how many of us do just that? We either are drawn to the gorgeous dress (like on this one) or repelled by what we don't like on another. It's like that in life too. Jericho Tucker has done just that in this book. He takes one look at Hannah Richards and sees all the things he hates and fears. He certainly doesn't want to get to get entangled with the seamstress himself - no matter how nice she seems.

The two of them are like watching an old fashioned bumper cars at night. They slam into each other and seem to be causing quite a fuss ~ but beneath all the noise and clamor you see the sparks flying.

Jericho is a wonderful hero. He is two parts stubborn and three parts generous. Add in a little bit wounded, handy with his tools, protective, and thoughtful. He looks out for his sister, the widow that works next door to Hannah, his assistant, Tom, and even Hannah. He may not want to get involved with her, but he doesn't want her to get hurt or not have what she needs.

Hannah can't understand why the livery owner is so grouchy and mad at her - and yet helps her so often. Even worse, she finds she likes him far more than she'd like to admit. When she finds out he objects to her job and thinks she is trying to lead women astray by appealing to their vanity, she knows there is no hope he'll ever like her.

Hannah is great. She's determined, independent, kind and trusting. She is a little insecure and fearful, but she is willing to work hard to overcome any difficulties that come her way. She was a really like-able person. I found myself wanting to have her for a friend. Maybe we could meet for hot cocoa in the morning after she went for her "constitutional." :o)

When you want to sit down with the characters in the book then you know the author has done an excellent job. This was one of my favorite books so far. I have to thank the author and the publisher for providing my copy of the book. I am very thankful, but it in no way influenced my review.

Lonestar Homecoming

Title: Lonestar Homecoming
Author: Colleen Coble
ISBN: 978-1-59554-734-7

From Goodreads:

"Gracie has spent her life running from her problems. This time, it's a matter of life and death.

With nothing but five dollars, a train ticket, and the wedding dress she's wearing, Gracie Lister escapes with her daughter to the West Texas country where her family fell apart years ago. There, Lieutenant Michael Wayne-devoted single father, dedicated soldier-gives Gracie the hiding place she needs, and a job caring for his two children. Michael and Gracie aren't looking for love, but it finds them right away.

The couple doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye, though. A vengeful druglord has put a price on Michael's head, and he's determined to face the enemy head-on. When Gracie's ex-fiance catches up to her, her impulse is to flee the danger … and the father she lacks the courage to confront.

Will Michael and Gracie find the strength they need in each other to protect their family and the home they've created?"

My Take:

This was a truly wonderful book. It had an inventive and fast-paced plot and characters I cared about. Colleen Coble is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. :o)

You meet Gracie first and see her settling in order to provide for her daughter, Hope. She wants her to have everything. She's sure that she's doing the right thing by marrying Cid and providing a father for Hope. That's when everything starts going wrong. Men show up and tell her that he's suspected of being involved with smugglers and she may be in danger. They want her as a witness. She claims she doesn't know anything and decides to run in order to keep her and Hope safe. She decides to go to the last place she wants to and hopefully the last place anyone would look for her.

The bullets start flying before she can even pack. Gracie and Hope have to start over with nothing. That's when they meet Michael. He arranges to have Gracie work to take care of his children. He isn't sure what she's hiding from, but she proves to be telling the truth when he checks out her references so she gets to stay ... for now.

Michael has problems of his own. He's a soldier who came back from overseas because his ex-wife died. His brother was killed by the smugglers in the area and he's training to be a border control agent too.

This story packs a lot of action and tension in many ways. The characters are thrown together because they both have a need but neither trusts the other. They also are grateful for each other and can tell the other is a good person. They both have enemies and withhold information about those enemies from each other. The action and tension is good throughout the story.

One of the things that makes the book the most interesting is the characters themselves. Both of them are complex people with issues from their past and present they're dealing with. Michael has to deal with how to be a dad after being away from them for most of their lives. Gracie tells him that "they are not small soldiers." He has to try and keep his family safe from the threats of Vargas, the man responsible for his brother's death and deal with his own desire to exact revenge.

Gracie is not sure what to think about Cid. She ran away before she could find out what happened and now he keeps calling and wanting her to come back to him. She has a father she hasn't spoken to since she became pregnant with Hope and she has guilt about what happened to her mother that she has never come to grips with. One of the things that makes her most unusual to me is that she can see and taste sounds. It's called synesthesia.

What started out as convenience leads to something else and soon the two will stand together against whatever comes against their family. I really enjoyed this book and thank Thomas Nelson for sending me my copy to review.

Buy @ Thomas Nelson