Book Recommendation -- Hidden Among the Stars

I've seen a great deal of buzz for Melanie Dobson's books, particularly her latest, Hidden Among The Stars. So, when I had a chance to get a copy of it, I knew I needed to check it out. I was immediately drawn in to the story. This was a dual timeline story, which is fast becoming a favorite genre of mine. It combines both history and contemporary (hence the dual timeline), both mystery and romance, and often finds a resolution from the earlier timeline in the modern one, so there's almost always closure in the story of these books. This book did not disappoint on this level. Ms. Dobson is a very talented author, making the book flow both lyrically and between the timelines. The modern timeline was written in 1st person whereas the past timeline was written in 3rd. That actually helped the flow of the book and made it easy to remember which timeline you're in, which is sometimes difficult in this genre.

This book starts in Vienna, Austria in 1938. Annika Knopf has grown up in the shadow of a castle that her father is the paid caretaker of. The castle is owned by the wealthy Dornbach family. Their son, Max is a few years older than Annika, but she is completely smitten with him. Because of that, she is willing to keep his secrets and help him with anything. As Annika grows through the duration of the book, her love for Max is fully demonstrated. Max is in love with Luzia Weiss, who is a Jewish musician. The past timeline shadows the lives of these 3 individuals. The modern timeline follows the life of Callie Randall, who owns a bookstore along with her sister Brie in Mt. Vernon, OH. For her birthday, Brie gets Callie an original German copy of the book "Bambi" and Annika's name is written in the front cover. Callie begins to search for Annika or her descendants to get the story behind the odd added script contained within the pages of the antique volume. As she seeks the story behind the book, the timelines intertwine and Ms. Dobson does an excellent job of drawing the 2 story lines together. This book brought me to tears and really brought to life the plight of the Jews during Hitler's reign. There was also a good bit of character development and growth in both timelines.

The author came across the idea for this novel 15 years ago. She and her husband went back-packing across Europe for their 5th anniversary and one of their favorite spots on the trip was a small town in Austria - Hallstatt. The alpine lakes and the mountains, with the ancient feel of the buildings made Melanie and her husband want to learn more about the history. They learned that near the end of WWII, as the Nazis were fleeing south, they stashed their treasures in nearby lakes, mines, and forests. This was excellent fodder for Ms. Dobson's book. What most captured her imagination, though, was the abandoned castle on the lake shore. As time has passed and information has become more readily available on the internet, she dug further into this mysterious castle and learned that it was used during the war as a Hitler Youth camp. She filled in some of the before and after gaps and built her story around this estate.

A few personal tidbits that made this book particularly interesting to me - the lead character in the modern timeline shares a maiden name with me. We attended the same college and her cat's name was a mix of my dog's and my sister's dog's names. She shares a middle name with my younger sister, and her first name sounds eerily similar. After only a chapter in, I began to wonder if the author had been stalking me! However, it made it much more fun and relateable. I was able to picture exactly where Callie's bookstore was and during the scene where she took a bike ride to clear her head, I could see all of those streets well as I've traveled them myself.

This is a book I would strongly recommend regardless of your genre of choice! Link to my review is below.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2509459129

Book Recommendation - A Secret to Die For

Lisa Harris's most recent novel was one of my most anticipated suspense novels this season. I was super excited to be selected as an influencer for this book. One of the aspects that had me intrigued was that the main character was a psychologist. For those that don't know, my undergrad degree is in Psychology, so I always find it fascinating to see things from their perspective. Ms. Harris did an excellent job of portraying her role. 

Psychologist Grace Callahan has no idea that she has a secret--one worth killing for. But when she finds out one of her clients has been murdered, she quickly realizes that the computer security specialist wasn't simply suffering from paranoia.
Detective Nate Quinn has just been cleared for active duty after a bombing killed eighteen people, including his partner, and left him dealing with PTSD. His first case back on the job involves the murder of Stephen Shaw, and his only lead turns out to be an old friend, Grace Callahan--and her life is in grave danger. Someone believes Shaw gave his psychologist information before he died. Information they are willing to kill for.
With her signature pulse-pounding suspense, Lisa Harris takes readers deep into the heart of fear in this race against the clock.

This book hit the ground running and did not let up in the action. I was drawn in from the get-go and did not know who the "bad guy" was till the very end. The plot-line was scary in its realism and I never knew what was going to happen next. The romance ended up very sweet (though at times felt a bit trite). The spiritual aspect was not overly religious, but addressed the question of where is God when life is hard? At one point Nate is talking to the police chaplain, asking where God is and the response is "Right where he's always been. It doesn't matter what is happening around you. He is here." Both of the main characters struggle with and grown in their faith throughout the book. 

I wanted to conduct an interview for my blog with Ms. Harris, but due to current circumstances (though she is a missionary in Africa, she is currently stateside, caring for her mother after a fall - if you are  praying person, please pray with me for Lisa Harris and her mother), I felt it best not to contact her. However, her publisher, Revell books, offered me their press release interview and I wanted to share a few of those questions here.

What was your inspiration for A Secret to Die For?

As with a lot of my stories, my inspiration started off with a random idea for a heroine, who quickly became Grace Callahan. She was a psychologist, but more than that, she had her own personal giants that she was facing in her life. After I began to flesh out her character, I brought in the hero who was also dealing with loss, and the ideas for the plot line started to come together—both for them personally and for the greater danger they were facing. 

Detective Nate Quinn struggles with PTSD. How did his disorder come in to play in A Secret to Die For? 

At the beginning of the story, Nate has just gone back to work after an explosion took the lives of his partner and several co-workers. And while he wants to be back on the job—even needs to be back—he’s not a hundred percent sure he’s ready. He encounters a number of triggers and begins to realize how his life has changed. He also has to deal with the guilt of being a survivor, which is something very real for those who have gone through trauma and lost people they care about. Grace becomes the perfect person to help him heal, which I love watching play out in the book. 

Was there any part of this book that really surprised you once you began writing it? 

As with a lot of the stories I write, I’m usually not sure who the villain is until the end of the book, and that was definitely true for this story. On the positive side, I’ve decided that if I’m not sure until the end who did it, then hopefully the reader won’t figure it out either!

What do you hope readers gain from reading your book? 

While I definitely want my readers to be entertained—and maybe a bit (okay, a lot) scared—while reading my books, I also want them to discover how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for him. People like you and me have the chance to allow God to use us in spite of all our fears and insecurities. I see the spiritual thread in my stories as a part of my characters’ reactions to life. How they react and deal with things on a spiritual level is crucial. Just like in my own life, I don’t want my faith to be simply tacked on but an intricate part of who I am. 

What’s next on your writing to-do list? 

Next up is another stand-alone novel for Revell that I’m super excited about as it takes my hero on a treacherous path I’ve never taken them on before. (Sorry, no spoilers!) 

How can readers connect with you? 

I’d love to hear from you! 

Website: www.lisaharriswrites.com 

Blog: myblogintheheartofafrica.blogspot.com 

Facebook Author: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLisaHarris 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heartofafrica 

Pinterest: https://za.pinterest.com/lharriswrites/

You can purchase this book from  your favorite retailer:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KICneB

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/2lQjUPs

Christianbook.com:

 https://bit.ly/2KEWj2f

Check out my review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2378778088

Book Recommendation - A Perfect Weakness

I recently had the pleasure of being a part of a launch team for a work of romantic historical fiction, which is a genre that is slowly growing on me (as long as the romance isn't super gushy). Jennifer Davids is a "new to me" author, so I was a bit hesitant. But I didn't need to be. The book was very well written and the characters were delightful. I was immediately drawn into the time of 1860s England, where we meet our heroine, Penelope Howard, at the grave of her uncle who had recently passed. He was the lord of Ashford hall in the village of Woodley. His heir is an American doctor who must be convinced to come to England and become a lord. Here we meet John Turner, who has given up medicine for a reason unknown to us at this time. He appreciates the opportunity to escape his troubles and find his way to England. He plans to settle the estate, hand the reigns to another, and hide away in England. The story focuses on the lives of these 2 main characters, John and Penelope. Both of them have committed grievous sins in their past that they attempt to keep hidden. John struggles with the possibility of God's grace and believes he has fallen too far. While Penelope has accepted God's grace, she still struggles with the repercussions of her past mistakes and believes that her sins will keep her from finding true happiness and seeks contentment in her current circumstances. Throughout the story, various circumstances come to light and they seek to help each other come to terms with their pasts. 

While parts of the story felt predictable and I was fully convinced I could see the ending coming a mile away, the author brought along a few surprises throughout and the ending was so sweet! This was a lovely romance story, but it was made more so because of the resounding theme of grace. The theme verse of the book is 2 Corinthians 12:9 where God says to Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (hence the title), and that theme came through loud and clear. God used both of their weaknesses to bring about a great result in the end. 

I was able to have a little Q&A with the author of this one as well. Here's how it went:

1. Where did you get the inspiration for the book? Is there any specific inspiration for the setting, the characters, the overall theme?

The inspiration for the book came from my second Heartsong book, Wounded Heart. A Perfect Weakness was originally intended to be a Heartsong length novel but the line shut down before I could get it finished. And it had become too long at that point anyway. The character from Wounded Heart I drew from was a secondary character who is a doctor and a victim of unrequited love. I had always wondered what happened to him after the close of the book and that is the seed from which A Perfect Weakness was born.

2. Do you relate to any of the characters in particular? Why?

I do relate to John Turner, my hero. We both have a tendency to be too hard on ourselves. Plus we also both need our peace and quiet and we enjoy the same woks of fiction. 

3. Is there anything interesting that happened during the writing process that altered the course of anything in the book?

I had an opening scene derailment of sorts. In it, the heroine, Penelope Howard, is standing over a recently deceased relative’s gravestone. I had it all set and worded exactly how I wanted when I re-watched the first episode of Season 4 of Downton Abbey. I got to the part where the Dowager Countess is speaking about Matthew’s gravestone and how they don’t set it in place for six months to allow the ground to settle. I realized that since Penelope’s relative had not been deceased that long the gravestone she was standing over would not be there yet. So I had to rewrite that scene and briefly explain the lack of a gravestone. Ah, the trails of historical writers! Lol!

4. Any other fun facts that would be fun to share with readers?

I did spend some time researching various contagious diseases in the Victorian age. And for the record, no, I’m not going to say why – read the book and you’ll understand. ;). Anyway, I would expound on the symptoms of said diseases to my husband and kids. Eventually, we latched on to one disease in particular – cholera – and whenever one of us would come down with a cold or something we would joke that ‘it must be cholera’. Yeah. My family and I have a strange sense of humor. Lol!

Jennifer's next book will be in the WWII era. Nothing like skipping around timeframes! She's currently working on that while moving her family from one home to another (she's a fellow Ohioan as well!). You can learn more about Jennifer and her works on her website: https://www.jenniferadavids.com/

Book Recommendation - The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond

I was first introduced to author Jaime Jo Wright last fall when her debut novel "The House on Foster Hill" was released. Her name showed up in several author newsletters and her book was lauded by no fewer than 3 authors that I follow and trust. And so, I did something that was rather rare for me. I BOUGHT a book by an author I'd never heard of before. Typically with new authors, I download a freebie or check them out at the library. I will very seldom spend money on a book where I don't already know the author. But because of the recommendations by other authors, I gave this one a try, and was very glad I did. Her debut novel was nothing short of spectacular. So, when she sent out applications to help launch her sophomore novel, I jumped at the chance.

The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond takes place in the small town of Gossamer Grove, WI,  during 2 timelines a century apart. We start out meeting Libby Sheffield in 1907 as she comes across a dead body. She had received his obituary at the newspaper office and had stopped to check in. The obituary referenced (and altered) some lines from Edgar Allen Poe, which only added to the mystery of the death of the Deacon. Other strange happenings occur in the 1907 timeline that seemed to coincide with the arrival of twin revivalists who seem set on flushing out the hidden sins of the small town and raise a good bit of controversy.

In the other timeline, Annalise Forsythe, in modern times, finds herself approached by police after the body of Eugene Hayes (one of the poor and broken down of Gossamer Grove) is found dead, with a picture of Annalise clutched in his hand. As she attempts to connect the dots, her home is broken into and her deepest secret is brought to light. As she seeks answers, she finds her past is connected to the happenings of Gossamer Grove in 1907.

Ms. Wright has an immense talent for these dual timeline novels that take two times in one place and bring them together. After I was through reading this book, I wanted to look into my own past and see what mysteries might reside in my own family tree. I love seeing how both stories intertwine into one and find the redemption that comes to both timelines' characters. I love dual timelines because they encompass a lot of different genres in one. There is always an element of mystery (how the 2 timelines will come together, if nothing else), historical fiction, contemporary fiction, and often an element of romance. While this book did not have the "edge of your seat" intensity that "The House on Foster Hill" did, it still kept me fully engaged and wondering what was going to happen next!

A few extras about this book and author:

1. Jaime Jo Wright is enamored with Edgar Allen Poe. That is why she included his writing in this book.
2. The twin evangelists Jacobus and Jedidiah Corbin were loosely based off the real ministry of a set of twins who evangelized the Midwest region. They were controversial in their approaches and not timid in their response to death threats, attacks, and even skunk attacks. See pictures of them here: https://www.findagrave.com/…/52311114/horace-b-morrill/photo
3. The real-life twin evangelists that the Corbins of the book were based off of, visited the author's hometown in the early 20th century. The baptist church that Ms. Wright calls home today had dwindling attendance at the time. But, after the Morrill twins came to town with their controversial revival methods, attendance surged and the church has never been the same since.
4. Obituaries in the Victorian era were often quite wordy and elaborate. Into the turn-of-the-century, they continued the habit, but grew progressively less detailed until they became what we see more often today, a simple declaration of one’s passing. It wasn’t uncommon for the obituary to go into detail about the cause of death, the person’s last moments, etc. Jaime read one that described a young woman in the chicken coop feeding her chickens when lightning struck from the sky and hit her in the head, having been attracted to the metal in her hairpin. Unfortunate and odd circumstances such as these, were almost sensationalized for news. (Or so it feels today when one reads them.)

5. While writing The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond, Jaime consumed approximately 4 pounds of coffee beans, ground and turned into liquid form. Some was eventually poured down the drain, as she can only consume so much, but her cupboard definitely decreased the stock of beans.

Coming up next from this author is "The Curse of Misty Wayfair" - another dual timeline novel that I can't wait to read! Release date for that is set for January 2019!

Book Recommendation - The Hope of Azure Springs

I've been blessed lately to be on several book launch teams. Recently, I was invited to participate in the launch of a debut for new author Rachel Fordham. Her first published novel, "The Hope of Azure Springs" releases July 3, 2018. As part of her launch team, I was able to get an advanced copy and it was fantastic! The story begins with a small, plain dirty girl who is nearly dead showing up in the town of Azure Springs. We find that many years prior, this girl, whose name is Em, came to Iowa from New York on the orphan train. Her guardian has been killed and she was wounded before she fled and found herself near death when some folks find her and bring her to Azure Springs for care. She is taken in by a family and nursed back to health, and she works closely with the sheriff, Caleb Reynolds, to find the men who attacked her and determine why. This book is a work of historical fiction, taking place in 1881, and has elements of great story across the board. There is definitely a romance going on, but it's not a quick and sappy romance (I don't care for those at all). There is action and adventure as Caleb goes after the "bad guys", and there is definitely some mystery about Em's past, as well as about the men who attacked her and their motive. The characters in the book are well developed and likeable. They grow throughout the book and bring hope to one another, hence the "Hope of Azure Springs".

Being part of the author's launch team gives me access to additional bits of inside information that I'm thrilled to be able to share with you!
1. Rachel never pictured herself as an author. She is a wife and mother of 6. While she has always loved to read and has enjoyed all things historical, she never thought she would be published. Her husband encouraged her to turn her passion into an actual book and here we are! The Hope of Azure Springs is actually her second written novel, but the first to be published. She hopes to go back to her first manuscript and edit and get it to print as well. But "The Hope of Azure Springs" was written with her heart.
2. During the writing of this book, her son got very ill. He was 4 at the time and they nearly lost him, but he survived, albeit with a daunting diagnosis. She took a break from writing for 5 months in that time. When she came back to it, she was a different person and took the book in a different direction. She became more emotionally connected to her characters, and I have no doubt that added to their depth.
3. One thing that I have in common with this author - Rachel and I both have a heart for adoption and foster children. Because of this passion, when she learned of orphan trains (previously called "mercy trains" as not all of the children were actually orphans), she knew she had to craft a story around that. She selected small town Iowa as Iowa was a pretty regular stop for those trains, and it worked with Caleb's back-story as well.
4. I mentioned that she has 6 kids - each of her kids' names are used in this book. The older kids have already read her author copy and have enjoyed getting to find their names (and their siblings' names) in print.
5. The main character of this book, Em, is described as being "plain". She is neither a beauty, nor is she ugly. However, throughout the book, as her light shines among those in Azure Springs and her beauty is found in that. Part of the author's motivation in this story was to advise her own daughter that true beauty comes from within.

6. When I asked the author what she hoped to convey through this novel, her response was "I hope that readers walk away from this story with a stronger sense of true beauty and belief in our capacity to define for ourselves what is beautiful. I also hope readers will be reminded that despite the difficulties of life we can find joy, we can carry on and we can be an influence for good. And of course I hope readers smile and maybe even sigh because it was an enjoyable read! "
7. Her next release will be in 2019. The book will begin in the "dead letter" office, and I can't wait to see what this story will bring!

If you enjoy a good heartfelt historical fiction, I would definitely recommend this one. My Goodreads review is below.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2349348013

Book Review - Grace in Strange Disguise

So, after my last book review blog post, I was actually approached by an author who asked if I would be willing to review her debut novel. Of course, I said I would - and I'm so glad that I did! I was actually very intrigued by the title "Grace in Strange Disguise", but it fits the book so well. This book is about a girl named Esther. Esther is the daughter of the lead pastor of a megachurch in Sydney, Australia. She has a good career, has finally found a man that her parents approve of and life is going very well. Then she is shaken to her core with a diagnosis of breast cancer. This diagnosis brings about a crisis of faith in Esther's life. She comes to a defining moment where she seeks out Jesus for herself and learns more about the Bible in days than she had in the years prior, in spite of the years of living in a pastor's home. This book attacks some very deep questions such as "can I still trust in a loving God when crisis arises" and "how do I share my faith with those around me?".  Author Christine Dillon answers these through Esther's life and circumstances. This was an enjoyable read with well-developed characters and spiritual depth that brings additional thought.

One warning I was given by the author and will therefore also pass along - because the author is Australian, the grammar, spelling and speech nuances seem a bit foreign to me as an American. It did not detract from the story line, but I think that was because I was aware that it was coming. So, be mindful of that.

As in my last post, I spoke with the author after reading the book and got some additional information. One of the interesting pieces of information about the author is that she is actually a non-fiction writer by trade and by choice. She balked at the idea of writing a novel and she credits God with pushing her to the point of writing this one, and provided her with the encouragement she needed along the way, as well as editors and a cover designer (who she's known since she was 5 years old). In writing this story, she added in so many thoughts and ideas that her editor advised that this was actually one and a half books. She shelved some of the ideas originally intended for this book and ended up considering a trilogy. She now has ideas for 5 books, so this single venture is turning into a series. Each of the books is intended to stand alone, but will all focus on characters from this book, so this one set the stage!

In asking about characters, the author admitted that none of the characters are based on anyone she knows (and clarifies that Esther's father William is nothing like her own father - she gets asked that a lot!), but she herself relates well to Esther, Esther's friend Gina, Naomi (who shows up later in the book), and Joy, who works as a janitor (or cleaner as the Aussies say) at the chemo center. Gina, Naomi and Joy all pour into Esther's life and help her in her faith journey.

Other interesting tidbits about the author and her relation to the book. Esther is a physiotherapist by trade, which is a job that Christine used to have. The book is set in the 1990s as that is when she was in that job and knew the processes. It's always good to start with what you know with a debut novel! I also asked specifically why breast cancer. I have a very dear friend who was recently diagnosed, so this was a timely read for me in that regard. Christine chose this illness in order to honor her aunt who died of breast cancer. She also chose it because Esther was young at the time of diagnosis and that was one form of cancer that is no respecter of age.

Current work in progress is "Grace in the Shadows". I'm excited to see how this series continues!

For more information on this book or this author, feel free to check her out at:

https://www.storytellerchristine.com/

https://www.facebook.com/storytellerchristine/

https://www.pinterest.com/storytellerchristine/

Book Recommendation - the Holly Novels

So, I think I've discovered that I'm a bit of a "book snob". As an avid reader for many years, I've obtained a certain taste for good writing. And let's face it, not all published authors are good writers. And my tastes differ from most other people, I find, and therefore I become even more of a "snob". I discovered this by joining a Facebook group called "Avid Readers of Christian Fiction". I figure that pretty well applies to me, so I joined it. I've seen a lot of recommendations for various books/authors, and so I find them at the library and try them out.... and am disappointed, by and large. Not that the books weren't good.... but they were too "heavy" or the characters weren't likeable or well developed. There was always something missing. Until I picked up the books by C.C. Warrens. I'd not heard of this author before this group, and was reluctant to try based on the other experiences.... but I kept seeing her name pop up. One of the first posts that came up in that group after I joined was someone looking for books about foster care. Since I need 12 hours a year of continuing education to continue being a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate - basically a voice in court for a child in "the system"), I perked up at that question and looked at the recommendations. Several of them didn't mention foster care at all in the book's description, so I discounted those. I had a couple that I opted to look up at a later date. The "Holly" novels by C.C. Warrens was also listed. Though these books take place after Holly has aged out of the system (and therefore can't be used as CE), it still piqued my interest since it was listed as Christian suspense and that is my genre of choice. I finally succumbed to the pressure to check it out when the first book went on sale for $0.99. At an author takeover event a couple weeks later, I won book 2 - and when the author started looking for "Street Team" members, I decided it was time to start reading. Oh. My. Goodness. These books were amazing! This author had the perfect mix of things. Well developed, quirky and likeable (or hateable as necessary) characters, on the edge of your seat action and suspense, laugh out loud humor, human struggles and an excellent story line.

These books center on the life of a girl named Holly. We don't know her last name - and only know her first name because it was on a bracelet that she had when she was found 18 years ago, but Holly doesn't remember the first 10 years of her life. There are many parts of the past 18 years that she wishes she didn't remember as well. Life has taught her to avoid staying in one place, stay off the radar completely and don't form any relationships. She breaks the most important of these rules when Jace, a girl in her apartment complex, befriends her and won't let her not respond. In book 1, Criss Cross, when she is attacked in a park after a photography session, she ends up having to file a police report and ends up not being able to stay under the radar, either. A series of events following make her need continual protection from the police and she struggles to remember what she knows about the killer whose face she saw before she lost her memories. Book 2, Cross Fire, continues the relational aspects of Holly's story as she learns to depend on her new friends and actually begins to exhibit some trust. One of the most intense scenes of trust building had me ugly crying as Holly experienced some healing. The villain in this book was completely unexpected, and though Holly's life is once again in danger, it's because of one who cares about her. Book 3, Crossed Off, offers an exceptional ending to this series and Holly faces off with the person who is responsible for her phobias and night terrors. It is intensely emotional and had me crying through the last 3rd of the book, but that only goes to show how well the characters are developed in this series that had me so emotionally attached. One thing I loved about this series is that it's unapologetically Christian, but it is not at all preachy. Holly found God at the age of 15 when He literally saved her life, and though she is a Christian, she is also very human. She struggles with forgiveness and trust, but she knows that she is never alone. The books are written in first person format from Holly's point of view, so we see the struggles in her thought life. She writes in her journal daily things that she is thankful to God for. We also see the Christian elements in occasional conversation, but by and large, everything we see and hear is very true to life. This conversation was one of my favorites, and it was brought up simply because Holly wanted to change the subject - away from having to answer something personal about herself:

So, after reading the books, I contacted the author for some Q&A. Here is some bonus material for my blog - extra trivia:

1. The author uses a pen name. Her initials are C.C. and her husband's name is Warren, so she uses the name C.C. Warrens as a pen name. Her husband, Warren, is actually a character in her book. and as a result, she also shows up in her own book. I found this to be a fun little detail. Warren plays with Holly's friend Jace in a wheelchair basketball and sled hockey league. The real Warren really does play wheelchair basketball and sled hockey, as well as wheelchair softball and wheelchair lacrosse. In the books he owns a restaurant and his wife has done paintings for the wall. Here are the paintings C.C. has actually painted that are currently hanging in their restaurant.

That verse is Holly's favorite verse. She references it often and it gives her peace when she finds herself in sticky situations.... which tend to happen often.

2. In Criss Cross, as Holly is searching for childhood memories, we meet the man who had been her childhood best friend. His character was based on a cat that C.C. had as a teenager. Her cat had quite the personality!

3. In Criss Cross, Holly's friend Jace went on a blind date. That date had an odd fascination with feet. This character is based on someone C.C. actually met in Walmart, who held her shoe for ransom because he wanted to touch her feet! Word to the wise - never be weird around an author. You may find your nuances show up in print some day!

4. As a person who suffered abuse herself growing  up, C.C. is able to write about these tough issues with realism and grace - and isn't afraid to tackle them. Side note - I LOVE the fact that she brings about much of Holly's healing through men who are not, by and large, romantically inclined towards her. Though the author credits her husband with helping her heal, I love the fact that there is not much romance (just some between some side characters) in this series. I don't mind realistic romance in books, but I enjoy books where it really isn't much of a factor.

5. C.C. indicated that writing this series was actually therapeutic for her and brought some healing to those broken places in her past. I asked if she'd heard from others who had experienced similar abuse to see how the books were received by those who could better relate. She'd heard from one who appreciated Holly's strength and another who indicated it brought healing to here life. Therefore, I would recommend to someone who has experienced this!

6. The author's note at the end of book 3 really brought things home for me. While I've not experienced the same abuses that Holly has seen, her abuser (Collin) has told her many things that I've heard as well - from the father of lies - "you're not good enough", "no one really cares about you", etc. So, that helped me to relate to Holly and her insecurities. C.C. indicates in that note that we all have our own personal Collin. From the author: My personal "Collin" is depression, something I have struggled with since I was a child. When Holly's in the hospital and she talks about moments of hope-gulping despair that left her crying, that's a very personal experience for me. And I have spent my entire life fighting to see the glimmers of hope all around us (like Holly does with her journal entries) because if I didn't, I knew I wouldn't live much longer.

Now I use that story to help others who are struggling with similar situations. That is the hope in my darkness.

 I found that to be a beautiful comparison, and something that is very relatable.

7. While this series is complete, C.C. is thankfully not done with these characters. While there was some closure in the story lines, I really want to see what else happens with Holly and her friends. Right now, works in progress are "Imperfect Justice" and "Injustice for All", which will have snippets of Holly in them. I'm super excited for them and release dates are hopefully for later this year. Fingers crossed!