Bethany House – Page 5 – The Pajama Chef

Book Review: Captured by Love

October 3, 2014October 2, 2014 Sarah

Another book review! I have a stack to catch up on so bear with me. 🙂 Jody Hedlund’s newest book Captured by Love is awesome. I received it over the summer from Bethany House’s book review program and am glad for the chance to check out new books every month!

Here’s a description of the book from the publisher:

Michigan Territory, 1814. A voyageur and a young woman swept up in a time of upheaval and danger discover firsthand the high price of freedom.

The British Army has taken control of Michilimackinac Island and its fort, forcing the Americans to swear an oath of loyalty to the crown in order to retain their land. Pierre Durant is a fur trader who returns after being away from the island for years, only to find the family farm a shambles and those he cares about starving and at the mercy of British invaders.

Torn between the adventurous life of fur trading and guilt over neglecting his defenseless mother, Pierre is drawn deeper into the fight against the British–and into a relationship with Angelique MacKenzie, a childhood friend who’s grown into a beautiful woman. She now finds herself trapped by the circumstances of war and poverty, and the cruelty of her guardian, Ebenezer Whiley.

As tensions mount and the violence rages on, Pierre and Angelique must decide where their loyalties rest and how much they’ll risk for love.

My five point review as usual:

Though I’ve read Jody Hedlund’s books before and loved them, I was especially interested in this one because it’s set on Mackinac Island! I grew up visiting my grandparents in Midland, MI [where Jody is from] and going on vacation to their cottage on Higgins Lake. Our day trips, especially when it was raining, were to Mackinac Island. It was so fun thinking about those times as I read about the history of the island. Jody Hedlund’s writing is so descriptive and I wanted to be there on the island, even though the British occupation during the War of 1812 made life very difficult, especially during the long winter months.
I really enjoyed the storyline between Angelique and her guardian. If you read the description above, you might think that’s strange since he is so cruel. However, considering that this situation was probably a reality for many women throughout history makes me really sad…and I loved reading about her redemption from him by Pierre, as well as his brother, Jean.
There’s a love triangle in this book [when is there not?] between Angelique and Jean, who she promised herself to while Pierre is away and Angelique and Pierre, who she’s always been in love with but thought he’d never come home. Craziness, I tell ya. Though I like both men, I didn’t like the decision Angelique was forced to make. The relationship with Pierre was portrayed as fun and amusing, but I hate that Jean would have to be thrown under the bus for that relationship to succeed. I do appreciate that this relationship wasn’t determined by death as most wartime romances are. I won’t tell you what happens but it’s good!
In reading some reviews online I noticed that some people consider this book to be too racy or graphic. I thought it was fine, but you can judge for yourselves once you read it.
All in all, this was a great book. Intriguing, captivating, well written, and well researched. It was the location that drew me in and the characters that made me read it in two days. A great read! Check out this post if you want to hear more about why the author wanted to write the book. It’s fascinating!

What are you reading lately?

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. However, I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed above are entirely my own. Thanks to Bethany House for the chance to read this great book!

Reviews

Book Review: Tide and Tempest

August 27, 2014August 26, 2014 Sarah

Today I have Elizabeth Ludwig’s Tide and Tempest to review for you. I’ve had this book for a few months because at first, when I requested it from Bethany House’s book review program, I didn’t realize it was part of the Edge of Freedom series! It’s the third book in a series about Irish history and life in the late 1800s New York City, so I had to read the first two books before tackling this one.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

It’s been two years since Tillie McGrath last saw Captain Keondric Morgan. He’d let her visit her ill fiance before he died. Now the dashing captain has found her at the boarding house where she lives and has swept back into her life. But all is not well. He seems to be trying to protect her–from whom or what stays a secret.

Even years later, Keondric never forgot the heartbroken lass from his boat. When a crewmember’s death-bed confession hints that her fiance’s death may have been murder, the captain knows he must try to save her. But his attention draws the notice of others as well, dangerous men who believe Tillie may have the last bit of evidence needed to put them away. And trying to stay safe may put them both in more danger than they could have ever imagined.

As usual, my five point review:

This novel, like the other two in the series [No Safe Harbor and Safe Road Home], is rich in historical detail. It’s obvious the author has spent a lot of time researching the history of revolution and freedom in Ireland. The group that’s heavily discussed in this series is the Fenians, and it was very interesting to learn about their work during this time.
I really enjoyed how detailed the author was in regard to Irish customs, language, and names. However, there was SO many new names/cultural items/groups in this book and the series that I got a bit confused. The story was just so broad and there were so many characters that I really had to pay attention to keep up with the action.
The suspense, not the romance element, was my favorite part of the book. It was so intriguing! I couldn’t wait to learn more about Tillie’s story–her past and her future.
Captain Morgan and his brother, Cass, play a huge role in this book. It was fun reading their interactions and their dual feelings towards Tillie. 🙂
Overall, this is just the kind of book I love. History, romance, suspense… and well researched and written to boot! Though it’s the conclusion to a great series, it definitely works as a stand alone novel. You’ll love it!

What are you reading lately?

Reviews

Book Review: Out of the Depths

July 31, 2014July 29, 2014 Sarah

Usually when I review books I choose ridiculous rom-coms [yes, that’s a book genre too]. This time, the subject is a bit more serious: World War II, the sinking of a ship, and survival at sea, in the spirit of Unbroken and Louie Zamperini’s story. I was sent a complimentary copy of Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage, and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis by Edgar Harrell USMC with David Harrell as part of Bethany House Publishers‘ book review program.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

July 30, 1945—The USS Indianapolis and its 1,196-man crew is making its way toward a small island in the South Pacific. The ship is sailing unescorted, assured by headquarters the waters are safe. It is midnight, and Marine Edgar Harrell and several others have sacked out on deck rather than spend the night in their hot and muggy quarters below. Fresh off a top-secret mission to deliver uranium for the atomic bombs that would ultimately end World War II, they are unaware their ship is being watched. Minutes later, six torpedoes are slicing toward the Indy . . .

For five horrifying days and nights after their ship went down, Harrell and his shipmates had to fend for themselves in the open seas. Plagued by dehydration, exposure, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks, their numbers were cruelly depleted before they were miraculously rescued. This is one man’s story of courage, ingenuity, and faith in God’s providence in the midst of the worst naval disaster in U.S. history.

As usual, my five point review:

I read Unbroken a few years ago and loved it. If you loved it too, Out of the Depths is for you. It’s equally inspiring and moving. The author credits his survival on the open seas to God and his story of faithfulness is apparant in the pages of this book.
Throughout the book I was just amazed at all the author and his fellow shipmates endured. It’s a hard to story to read–both in terms of war details [about the atomic bombs in Japan] and the horrific conditions the sailors endured on the water. But it’s an important one that I enjoyed learning about.
Being from Indiana, I was surprised that the story of the USS Indianapolis isn’t taught in schools. But I did learn that there’s a memorial in Indianapolis that I’d love to visit next time I’m there. I shouldn’t be surprised though, because many of the circumstances surrounding the sinking of the ship was kept hidden until the late 1990s.
For the most part, I enjoyed the way this book was written: focusing in detail about each day. The story was told in enough detail to be compelling but not too much to be boring. But parts of it felt forced and too much like a history book and too little like a personal account. That’s just a minor complaint though.
Overall, the book was excellent. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in World War II history. It was neat reading the epilogue and learning the author lives in the Nashville area! 🙂

What are you reading lately?

Reviews

Book Review: Meant to Be Mine

June 25, 2014June 22, 2014 Sarah

Meant to Be Mine is Becky Wade’s newest novel, and is wonderful just like her other two [click here for my reviews of her other books]. I was sent a complimentary copy of this novel as part of Bethany House Publishers‘ book review program.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school–irresistible. When their paths cross again after college–still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia’s ready to be Ty’s wife, but Ty’s not ready to be her husband. He’s a professional bull rider, he lives on the road, and he’s long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he’s known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia’s buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty’s achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia’s trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?

As usual, my five point review:

This is the second book in a series about the Porter family, and it was just as precious, romantic, and indulgent as the first! I love how the author makes her characters come alive. I always walk away from a Becky Wade novel in a happy mood [and not because I read this one on the beach last month!]. I feel like the characters are friends, and not every author can create consistently endearing characters, novel after novel.
One thing that impressed me about this book was its unpredictability and uniqueness. First off–what wasn’t unpredictable: that Celia and Ty will fall back in love. That’s the premise of ALL these books, and I’m sorry if I ruined anything for you. 🙂 But anyways…the book begins with Ty’s proposal to Celia…and it’s not written in retrospect. See? Unique. What book does that? The rest of the novel is a series of unpredictable choices and plot twists all related to the way Celia and Ty rekindle their relationship. It is adorable the way that Ty works to redeem himself in Celia’s eyes. Adorable AND inspirational. If only we could be so dedicated to someone we love!
I also appreciated the secondary characters in this book. Addie, Celia and Ty’s daughter, is great. She’s five but wise beyond her years and serves an important role in the story. She is precious and shy, with a big heart, love for fairytales, and cowboy boots. Celia’s uncle has a big personality and is an amusing foil for Addie’s seriousness, and his role as protector of his girls is awesome. He’s the kinda guy you want on your court!
My least favorite character is Ty’s “other woman,” Tawny. She sounds exactly as her name makes her sound [and my apologies to the nice Tawnys out there… tv and books just give that name a bad rap, imo]. What was a bit disturbing about her was her pursuit of Ty as a married man. I wish this had been more denounced in the book–though Ty’s refusal of her affections was pretty strong.
This book was just great. Another unique love story by Becky Wade, with a setting just as great [a small Texas town]. I wish I lived in one of the charming Victorians described in the book. Oh, and for you foodies… Celia is a baker and has a sweet gig in the local bakery. Becky, you did good with this one! 🙂 Thanks for another good read. Hope you guys all check it out!

What are you reading lately?

Reviews

Book Review: For Such a Time

June 11, 2014June 7, 2014 Sarah

You guys. I think this might be one of the best–if not THE best–Christian fiction book I have ever read. It’s right up there with Redeeming Love, y’all. The book in question is Kate Breslin’s debut novel, For Such a Time, and I was sent a complimentary copy of this novel as part of Bethany House Publishers‘ book review program.

Here is a description of the book from the publisher:

A powerful retelling of the story of Esther during WWII: Blond and blue-eyed Jewess Hadassah Benjamin must save her people—even if she cannot save herself.

In 1944, blond and blue-eyed Jewess Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by SS-Kommandant Colonel Aric von Schmidt at the transit camp of Theresienstadt in Czechoslovakia, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, in order to survive and maintain her cover as Aric’s secretary, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.

Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths and sympathies, Stella cautiously appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. Aric’s compassion gives her hope, and she finds herself battling a growing attraction for this man she knows she should despise as an enemy.

Stella pours herself into her efforts to keep even some of the camp’s prisoners safe, but she risks the revelation of her true identity with every attempt. When her bravery brings her to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, she has only her faith to lean upon. Perhaps God has placed her there for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she is unable to save herself?

As usual, my five point review:

This book was spectacular. I’ve read many books about the Holocaust [fiction and nonfiction] and about WWII–my favorite war [as odd as that sounds], and this rates right up there with the best. Sometimes historical fiction walks a weird line between truth and make believe, and the balance is just right in this novel.
It’s also nice that this book is not just a recitation of the Biblical book of Esther but rather a unique story. There are certainly parallels, and Breslin’s book generally follows the outline of Esther but in a way that departs from the original storyline. Each chapter begins with a verse from Esther and various character names are chosen as a nod to Esther [i.e. Uncle Morty]. Though I’m certainly not opposed to fiction books following a Biblical storyline, I thought the author does a great job staying true to the gist of Esther but being creative.
Lately some of the WWII-era books I’ve been reading have had likeable German characters, including this story. It’s not like I believed that Germans during WWII were all bad–I realize a country, even in wartime, has diversity. But many books paint Germans as one dimensional Nazis, perhaps because of how Nazis and by extension, Germans, have been written about in history. So I appreciate seeing the change in Aric throughout the course of the novel, and find it really interesting to consider. I have no idea how many German officers/soldiers helped Jews or other marginalized people during WWII but now I’m interested to research that.
Speaking of research, this novel was well researched. There was a great amount of detail and the end of the book was filled with the author’s description of how she researched, her bibliography, etc. As a librarian, I appreciate that!
As with every good novel… there’s really a great romance in this book. It’s realistic and adorable. You can’t help but root for their success, especially at the end. You’ll just have to read it and see! This is an awesome book that I’ll read time and time again. Five out of five stars, for sure!

What are you reading lately?