Last Light by Terri Blackstock

The Restoration Series, of which Last Light is the first book, has always been my favorite series by Terri Blackstock. She is a masterful author and this series of four books is pure gold. So I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to review Last Light.

Doug Branning and his daughter Deni land at the Birmingham, Alabama airport minutes before planes begin falling from the sky. Everything happens at the same moment. All the cars are dead. The electricity is out. Cell phones, radios, even watches don't work. At first they think it is just the Birmingham area. But after walking the long miles home and finding their neighborhood of Crockett in the same condition, they begin to suspect that this is something much bigger than a local fluke. And when in the days that follow someone makes it all the way from the east coast with news that conditions are the same there, the truth starts sinking in. Nothing is going to be changing anytime soon.

The big changes in the lives of the Branning family begins to change their ideas of what is important. To Deni, it is somehow getting to Washington D.C. to be with her fiance. To her parents, it brings into clear focus how little value they have placed on family and God and how much they need to change that. And in the midst of it all, a killer is loose in Crockett. Neighbor begins to suspect neighbor and relationships are tested.

Terri Blackstock brings out deeper themes in her books than I can ever hope to summarize in a review. There is so much more to her stories than what is immediately obvious in the plot. I find myself feeling as though the story is speaking to me and teaching me. The Restoration series is one I can read again and again. So I encourage you to read Last Light and any other book she has written that you can get your hands on.To view or purchase the book on the Zondervan website, click here.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis-- Review

The Secret Keeper is the fourth book in Beverly Lewis's "Home to Hickory Hollow" series. However, these books are only somewhat tied together and in my opinion can each be read without reading any of the others. I have only read the third and fourth books in the series (find the review of the third book, The Guardian, here.

Jenny Burns has always felt out of place in the modern American world. From a well-to-do family, she has always found it hard to be happy living the lifestyle that most of us take for granted. Instead, she longs for a simpler way of living and closer communion with God. So in a move that shocks her family, and the Amish community, she decides to leave her life behind and join the Amish.

Thus begins her time of testing to see if she is truly sincere and should be allowed to join the Amish and receive baptism into their church. Things quickly become far more complicated that she expected. Her Amish penpal and many other young Amish men and women are considering leaving the Amish. Her heart begins to grow fonder toward a handsome young Amishman. The attitude, language, and daily life of the Amish is challenging. And worst of all, she learns a secret that threatens either to tear apart the lives of some people she holds very dear or force her to give up her quest to become Amish. And suddenly Jenny is faced with some of the most difficult decisions she has ever had to make.

I have always been curious about the Amish. I spent a lot of childhood vacations in Pennsylvania Amish country, owned several Amish dolls, and loved to imagine myself in their world that was so different than mine. So I really connected with Jenny and her desire to be Amish. As an adult, I no longer want to join the Amish, but their simple life, close-knit communities, and dedication to God still inspire me in the way I live my own life. This is another fabulous book for all lovers of Amish fiction like me, and an excellent introduction to the genre for those eager to try it out.



I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.  

Review of Dragonwitch by Anne Elizabeth Stengl

Dragonwitch by Anne Elizabeth Stengl is the fifth book in the Tales of Goldstone Wood Series. This is a Christian fantasy series for young adults, recommended especially for teens, although adult lovers of fiction can enjoy the stories as well.

The North Country is at a turning point. Old Earl Ferox is reaching the end of his life...and his days as the most powerful earl of the North Country. His nephew Alistair is trying to feel prepared to take on the role of Earl and someday King of the North Country, since Earl Ferox has no heir....or so it was supposed. A shocking deathbed discovery turns all of Alistair's mother's well-laid plans upside down.

Into this is thrown Lady Leta of Aiven, a submissive girl who is sent to be the soon-to-be wife of Alistair. She might not want to marry him, but she is much too well trained to speak her mind...or is she?

Supernatural elements are woven into the story, along with hideous creatures, other worlds, and memorable characters. Each of the books I have read by Anne Elizabeth Stengl start out a little slow in my opinion. It takes some time to get into the story and begin to identify with the characters. And some things in the story seem a little ridiculous to me, probably because it was written for a younger audience. But I still enjoyed the book because it is a light work of fantasy with good Christian themes woven through. I would suggest it to fantasy lovers of all ages.



I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. 

Afloat by Erin Healy-- A Book Review

Afloat by Erin Healy is an interesting novel that takes a look at human nature and the supernatural, all mixed together.

Vance Nolan is the architect in charge of an unusual building project-- a group of floating houses. Most of the construction on the twelve apartment buildings is complete and some are occupied, when one day a disaster happens during construction. Just a little while later that day, a freak storm sweeps in and wreaks havoc on the home site, flooding the cove and trapping construction workers, investors, and residents on one of the floating homes. Cut off from the world without electricity, they must make the decision to try to escape or stay put.

Vance wants to stay and wait out the storm and for a possible rescue. His boss wants to build a raft and try to make it to the mainland. The others trapped with them in building 12 have to decide which of the two men to follow.

To some of the people, this seems like just a bad storm. But to those like the blind man who saw a vision or the few who were rescued from the water and saw floating lights beneath the water, this might be something much, much more than that.

I will admit, Afloat can be a little hard to get into at first. But just keep going, because it is an unusual story that will eventually catch you up and sweep you away. If you would like to learn more, visit the Thomas Nelson product page here: Afloat


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review of The Guardian by Beverly Lewis

Beverly Lewis is known for her many stories featuring the Amish. Her latest book, The Guardian, is a true gem. I have read quite a few of her books and this one is my favorite so far. The characters are loveable and I found myself sharing in their joy and pain. I am also always intrigued by stories about the Amish life and their interactions with the "English," as they call the non-Amish.

Jodi Winfield is enjoying house-sitting for her cousin and his wife in beautiful Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the perfect way to pass the summer before she begins her new teaching job in the fall. While out for an early morning jog one day, she comes across a little girl sleeping along the road. The child speaks no English but seems to trust Jodi completely. With help from her cousin and even the little girl herself, Jodi is able to return little Sarah to her family in the Amish community of Hickory Hollow, but not before she and Sarah have become quite attached to each other.

Maryanna Esh is delighted to have Sarah returned to her after the little girl fell out of the back of the buggy the previous night without Maryanna noticing. She is a little unsure about the English stranger who returned her child, but finds herself drawn to her nonetheless. As Jodi returns to visit the Esh family again and again, the women find themselves becoming close friends. Each has known the pain of loss, but dealt with it in very different ways.

Jodi finds the Amish countryside healing and begins to reopen her heart to God, and to other possibilities she has refused to think of for a while. And Maryanna allows herself to consider remarrying, not only for the sake of her children but also for love.

I have found that you should be able to walk away from any book worth reading with at least one quote from it that you want to remember. Something that really speaks to your heart and soul and reveals a truth. So I will end this book review of The Guardian with my favorite quote from the story:

" 'I've learned that sometimes I have to give up my right to know and simply believe that God's knowing is enough.' "



I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. 

Review of So Shines the Night by Tracy Higley

So Shines the Night is a tale of intrigue, danger, and romance set in the ancient city of Ephesus. Daria is a female tutor on the Isle of Rhodes, something that makes it difficult for her to find work. In the midst of a crisis, she is saved from danger by Lucas, a stranger who gives her refuge on his boat, then insists she return with him to his home in Ephesus. He is in need of a tutor to teach him languages, he says, and can also get her a job at a school.

Daria hopes that she has escaped to a place where she will find peace. Instead she finds herself in the middle of an escalating conflict between sorcerers and Christians, the people of "The Way." Her mysterious master/pupil seems involved with sorcerers, Christians...and the murders that continue to happen in the city. But no matter the evidence, Daria finds that she simply cannot think ill of him.

Her soul is in as much turmoil as the city. She longs for peace and to be able to understand the gods and how to please them so that her life will be better. But the people of The Way teach her things that go against all she has ever believed. What is true? What should she believe now?

Lucas, meanwhile, is also troubled. He is a man bent on revenge for a wrong done to him, even if accomplishing that revenge means his own destruction.

As the book escalates to the conclusion, Daria becomes a far more important piece in the puzzle than she could ever have imagined. She may be the only hope that Lucas has for staying alive.

This was a well-written story with an engaging plot and likeable characters. It also paints an accurate portrait of life in Ephesus at the time of Paul. I would highly recommend this book. If you are interested in learning more, click here: So Shines the Night.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Short Story by Rebecca Kletzing

Once in Lillethe Woods

being

The short firsthand account of

Miss Clarissa Eddy

of

The Curious Sight Her Eyes Beheld

            I was a child of twelve years when we moved to the house at the edge of Lillethe Woods. From the moment we first arrived, everyone around me was telling me strange tales about this part of the country, feeding an imagination which hardly needed encouragement. Indeed, from the moment I first saw the house, I was imagining it as home to pixies and the wood as being filled with all sorts of sprites and other creatures of that sort. There were vivid pictures in my mind of these little friends, and many days they were my playmates.

            However, besides what my mind conjured up, there were no unusual visitors to my room in the midst of the night, no mischievous sprites playing gentle tricks upon the inhabitants of our house. For months everything remained disappointingly dull as nothing save ordinary everyday life went on.

            Then one night, Midsummer's Eve to be particular, something changed. The barrier between the fairy realm and our own world was dissolved completely by the magic of that night, leaving one young girl with an impression to last a lifetime.

            When we first moved in, I had asked to have my bed placed up against that window of my room which viewed those glorious and mysterious woods, to which, at a time long out of memory, some unknown personage had given the name of Lillethe for an equally unknown reason. I awoke from a deep sleep on the aforementioned night to feel a gentle wind blow the curtains playfully across the cheek of this slumberer. Glancing casually out the window at the night, I had cause to give the sight a second look.

            A circle of light was clearly visible in the woods, and I guessed from my many explorations that the position of these lights was around the perimeter of a glade, circular in approximate shape, which could easily be found not a great distance into the wood. Being overcome with curiosity as to the nature of the strange little lights, I put on a robe and slippers and found my way down through the sleeping house and out the back door.

            I was drawn to those woods like a moth to flame. It was almost as if some irresistable and mischievous force was leading me, which through its gentle teasing at my mind kept me from fear, else I would never have gone out. I walked straight across the well-groomed lawn, and then the moment came that my slippers first touched the woodland soil, and I was in.  

            It was not so dark within Lillethe as one might have thought. Perhaps it was the full moon, perhaps the magic, but whatever the cause, my path was well lit and I found my way easily to the glade, following the ever-strengthening beam of the lights and the softly increasing sounds of an ethereally odd music.

            At the glade, I found that it was the one indeed which I was familiar with and had often spent many happy hours in amusing myself there. But while the glade was familiar to me, the nocturnal scene being enacted before my eyes was anything but.

            Around and around swirled a dancing ring of fairies, all about my size and looking very much like exceptionally pretty children. Had it not been for their beauty and their brightly hued, iridescent wings, I might have been able to believe them merely a group of local children celebrating the arrival of Midsummer in their own odd fashion. Their bright dresses of every color imaginable swayed about them as they danced. Their hair, short or long, curly or straight, of every hue possible for hair to be, bounced and danced as merrily as they. For some minutes I stood quietly beside a tree, shyly watching the festivities with amazement and wondering if I dared to join in. Then one rosy-cheeked, golden-haired, blue-sparkle-eyed little pixy caught sight of me, and with a laugh like the happiest of bells, clasped my hands and drew me into the dance. The steps were easy to learn, especially with such teachers. Their magical merriment was infectious.

            I know not how much time I spent with them. In the whole of that time I never discovered where the music came from. At one point, my little friend took my hand and said, "Come, Rissa. Let us go and see what the older ones are doing." She led me through the woods in a winding path that was invisible to my eyes, and soon I was hopelessly lost. Then at last we came to another ring of light, and music, and laughter, and dancing.

            This, apparently, was the adult's party. They danced as merrily as the children, though with perhaps more grace. Men and women, with glistening wings and ethereal beauty, leaped and spun, and occasionally fluttered up into the air. My little friend and I watched them for some time, then one merry-eyed lady caught sight of us, and with a laugh, shooed us away.

            I remember watching from a branch high in a tree as the first lights of dawn crept across the horizon, and then I found myself in my bed.

            Now and again in the following year, there were times when the barrier between the realms would become blurred, and I would once again meet with one or another of my winged friends. But those instances became more and more seldom, until they ceased altogether.

            Years have passed, and with the coming of adulthood have also come doubts. I have been finding it increasingly hard to believe it was not all a child's vivid dream. However, there are still times when, at night, I think my ears catch the distant, haunting strains of wild music drifting through my window. And every Midsummer's Eve I watch the woods, wishing to see those merry lights again.

© Rebecca Kletzing 

            

Another Poem

I'm not sure when my love affair with the railroad first started. We have lived next to the train tracks since I was four. I've been to numerous railroad museums, had a couple of train rides, watched the trains working daily outside my house, and ridden on the area bike trails which are converted railroad lines. But my favorite part of it all is railroad history, and how it ties into local history. Sometimes in the silence along those bike trails with the old mile markers along the way, or in the dead of night when you can hear a train whistle far, far away in the distance, I feel like the past is almost close enough to touch.

Tonight there's a haunting echo,

like a whisper from the past--

the cry of a whistle blowing,

a note that lingers after the last.

Seeking not to be forgotten,

it reaches out to touch my mind,

a memory now faded

but still close enough to find:

Of iron horses running

on tracks of tempered steel,

as round and round are running

the never-ending wheels.

Of sentinels along the tracks--

endless lines of wooden poles,

connecting parted family members

through wires, and Morse's code.

Of bridges strong and mighty

that crossed the deepest gorge,

and tunnels long and narrow

through which the engines roared

Of men who did their duty

through freezing night and scorching day,

keeping coal fires burning

and lighting lamps to show the way.

Of crashes and disasters

events they never planned.

Of the great courage and bravery

of a now-forgotten man.

Of wide-eyed children gazing

at the scenery rushing by,

and girls who wished away the miles

till into loving arms they fly.

Even as the moon is setting

and the fog is growing thin,

the echoes are receding

behind today's cacophonous din.

© Rebecca Kletzing

A poem of my own

I recently had a request for me to post some more of my own writings. I don't have any more stories to share right now, but I do have a poem.

There is a special place in my heart for orphans.Those children need love and homes as much as every child does. But so many of them will go through their lives without either. They feel forgotten. I have had the chance to interact with some orphans as a local youth shelter, and those kids have touched my heart. I would adopt them and take them all home if I could. And someday I will adopt. But for now, I give you Orphan Song:

She sits on her bed with her back to the door

She does that when visitors come anymore

Her heart has been broken by smile after smile

Because when they come they just stay for a while

In time they all leave, with a child by the hand

She is hardly the cute one who's in much demand

So now when they come she just stays in her room

Holding her dolly in gathering gloom

"Sweet dolly," she says," you are the one who loves me

The one and only who will ever love me

Hold me and kiss me and say that you'd miss me

If ever I left you and went off alone

Oh dolly, we are so alone"

The years pass her by, as does each family

She watches the seasons fly by like the breeze

Unwanted, unloved, and left to herself

Ignored and forgotten like a vase on the shelf

New people are coming, they tell her one day

But she just shakes her head. "They're all the same"

She hears adults exclaim over child after child

I was right, she thinks, with grim satisfied smile

But then a gentle knock sounds at her door

"They told us that upstairs we would find one more"

They sit down and talk and listen and smile

But then they get up after just a short while

She just hangs her head and turns her face away

She should have known: this is where she will always stay

But then there's a touch just beneath her chin

Lifting her face so that she'll look at them

"Sweet child," they say, "we are the ones who love you

The one and the two who were meant to love you

We will hold you and kiss you and say that we'd miss you

If ever you left us and went off alone

Oh daughter, come with us, come home"

Review of Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love

I want to start by saying that Every Perfect Gift by Dorothy Love is a wonderful story. But I also want to warn you that it is book 3 in a series (Hickory Ridge Romances) and though it technically could stand alone, there is a lot of back-story hinted at in it. I haven't read the other books in the series so I did feel rather lost and confused at times. That being said, if read after the other two books, this is a story worth reading.

Sophie Caldwell has returned to the town of Hickory Ridge, where she spent her childhood. She hopes that she can move beyond her bad memories as she focuses on a single purpose-- restarting the local newspaper. She is completely focused...until a man named Ethan Heyward enters her life.

Ethan is the mastermind behind the architecture of the beautiful Blue Smoke resort that has just been built. When he agrees to give newspaper reporter "S.R.Caldwell" an interview and a tour of the resort, he has no idea what he is getting in for.

Sophie and Ethan are drawn to each other, but so much stands in their way. It seems that they have hardly anything in common-- or do they? Each struggles with the desire to keep their past and secrets hidden. But what is more certain to tear them apart, revealing their secrets or keeping them hidden?

Every Perfect Gift is well-written and suspenseful. It explores themes such as the acceptance of modern medicine, how laborers were treated at the time, and how much our pasts really shape our present. If you would like to know more, or maybe read the book yourself, check out the Thomas Nelson product page here: Every Perfect Gift


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html>: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review of The Breath of Dawn by Kristen Heitzman

The Breath of Dawn is, well, what can I say? There's a reason Kristen Heitzman is one of my favorite authors. She writes some of the best Christian romantic suspense I have ever read, and this book certainly did not disappoint. It is an excellent balance of the three elements of the story-- Christian faith, romance, and suspense-- instead of heavily leaning toward one element as so many books do. And that is why I love her books so much. I can count on them to deliver everything I am hoping for.

Quinn Reilly figured she was safe, thought she had managed to "disappear" so that her past wouldn't catch up with her. But then in the blink of an eye, danger is upon her. Morgan Spencer has been through so much pain in his life that he hardly expects anything good anymore. His little girl is the only thing keeping him going. He and Quinn meet and then circumstances through them together over and over. When he hears of her plight, he offers a solution that sounds crazy to Quinn-- and to Morgan's family. But will it turn out to be something so much better than either of them could ever imagine?

There are two previous books in this series, and while each stands alone, the other two will give you some background into the lives of the characters. They are A Rush of Wings and The Still of Night.

This book is an awesome read and I would highly recommend it.

I received this book free from Bethany House publishers as part of their blogger book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.