Book Recommendation - The Orchard House

 If you enjoy dual timeline stories with deep and heavy topics, but that offer hope, Heidi Chiavaroli is an author you would enjoy. Her past books have dealt with school shootings, abandonment, and broken marriages. Her latest novel, taking place in Concord, MA (home of Louisa May Alcott), speaks to equal rights, foster care, and domestic abuse. This novel was excellent and flowed seamlessly between the timelines, bringing hope to both sets of characters. This is women's fiction I would definitely recommend. 

Here's a little bit about the book:

2001

Abandoned by her own family, Taylor is determined not to mess up her chance at joining the home of her best friend, Victoria Bennett. But despite attending summer camp at Louis May Alcott's historic Orchard House with Victoria and sharing dreams of becoming famous authors, Taylor struggles to fit in. As she enters college and begins dating, it feels like Taylor is finally finding her place and some stability...until Victoria's betrayal changes everything.

 

1865

While Louisa May Alcott is off traveling the world, Johanna Suhre accepts a job tending Louisa's aging parents and their home in Concord. Soon after arriving at Orchard House, Johanna meets Nathan Bancroft and, ignoring Louisa's words of caution, falls in love and accepts Nathan's proposal. But before long, Johanna experiences her husband's dark side, and she can't hide the bruises that appear.

 

2019

After receiving news of Lorraine Bennett's cancer diagnosis, Taylor knows she must return home to see her adoptive mother again. Now a successful author, Taylor is determined to spend little time in Concord. Yet she becomes drawn into the story of a woman who lived there centuries before. And through her story, Taylor may just find forgiveness and a place to belong.

This book comes out February 9, 2021 and is available now for pre-order wherever you buy books! Check out the links below for additional information:

Heidi Chiavaroli's website: http://www.heidichiavaroli.com/ 

Heidi Chiavaroli's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HeidiChiavaroli.Author 

My full 5-star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3805682184 

Book Recommendation - Network of Deceit

 

A newer voice in clean/Christian suspense is Tom Threadgill. His upcoming release, Network of Deceit, is the second book in the Amara Alvarez series. You don't need to read Collision of Lies (book 1) first, but the case from that book is alluded to in this one. This book is an excellent continuation of the series. It sucked me in from the very beginning and didn't let go at all! This was a thoroughly enjoyable ride that I finished in under a day (and a workday at that)! 

Here's the blurb from the back cover of the book:

After her rescue of nearly fifty kidnapped children made international headlines, Amara Alvarez gets what she’s worked for: a transfer to San Antonio’s Homicide Division. Reality sets in quickly, though, as her first case, the suspicious death of a teenager at a crowded local water park, brings chaos to her personal life.

As the investigation moves forward and she increases the pressure on the suspects, Amara finds herself under attack by cybercriminals. Her every move is being potentially watched online, and she’s forced to resort to unconventional methods to find the killer. With few leads, she fights to keep her first murder investigation from ending up in the cold case files.

As I was preparing to make this blog post, the author posted an interview with Southern Writers, which included several of the same questions I would have asked. With his permission, I'm sharing some of those here:

Where did you get the idea for your new book, Network of Deceit?

I’ve had the setting of the crime in my mind for years. While on a road trip with my wife, we drove past an abandoned water park in the middle of winter. Her first thought was how spooky it looked. Mine was what a great place that would be to hide bodies. I suppose that’s the difference between fiction writers and normal folks? The rest of the plot came together as I wrote. The main character, Amara, must figure out what happened to a teenage boy and why, if he was murdered, anyone would choose to commit the crime in the middle of a sweltering hot day at a crowded location like a water park. Along the way, things get worse when her personal electronic devices are used against her. That plays into my belief that none of us truly understand the privacy we’ve given away to companies who profit from that information.


What was the easiest and most difficult part writing your new book?

The easiest part is writing the first chapter. I almost always have a good idea of how I want the opening to go and what the hook will be. That doesn’t mean there’s not a slew of revisions that take place after that, but I’ll tweak the writing until it’s where I want it. That first chapter sets the tone for the rest of the story and starts asking questions that the main character – and the reader – have to answer. The most difficult part of the story is turning it over to the editor/publisher. Not because I don’t think it’s ready, but because it’s the first time the book will be seen by others. Every writer knows the feeling of letting their baby out into the world for the first time. The trepidation, fear, hope, and relief of finally being done.

What do you love most about reading suspense novels and writing them yourself?

For me, it’s all about the surprises. When a character does something unexpected but remains true to themselves. Nothing worse than when the story doesn’t feel real, like the detective who continually makes stupid decisions or the huge coincidence that saves the day. I’ll usually quit reading when that happens since I’m pulled out of the imaginary world.

Did anything surprise you as you were writing this story?

I’m always surprised when I write a novel. Usually it’s by something a character does that I didn’t see coming. That’s one reason I don’t plot. It allows me to have more of a flow to the story and let the characters tell me what they’re going to do. Yeah, I know that might sound odd, but it’s what happens. Kudos to those writers who can plot out their story from start to finish, but I’m not one of them.

  

What do you hope readers will gain from Network of Deceit?

Mostly, an escape from reality for a little while. I write to entertain. Nothing makes me happier than getting an email from a reader telling me they couldn’t put down my story.

This book releases February 2, 2021. Be sure to grab a copy from your favorite book retailer! Here are some links with some additional information:

Tom Threadgill's website: https://tomthreadgill.com/Tom/ 

Tom Threadgill's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TomThreadgill.author

The Southern Writers blog post from which I pulled my Q&A:  https://southernwritersmagazine.blogspot.com/2021/01/effects-on-writing-during-pandemic.html?fbclid=IwAR3hkXLLInSVyqFGRjbmu8U_kIYoEvwSEoLnqWDyxKt4iuev9HQ1nErg0mw

My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3438786494 

Book Recommendation - Shadows of the White City

 Jocelyn Green is well known in the Christian historical fiction field as one who writes intriguing stories with wonderful characters and fascinating places in history. This one took place during the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. I learned a great deal about the time period, the World's fair in general and enjoyed a great story with well-rounded, likable and relatable characters, a subtle romance and a strong thread of family and belonging. In preparing for this book, I've also enjoyed the youtube videos the author has included on her Facebook page (link below) showing pictures of the set-up at the World's Fair in 1893 and giving "virtual tours" of the fairgrounds so to speak. That really helped me to visualize and has made me interested in knowing more about the Fair and that timeframe. 

Here's a bit about the book:

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have--a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears--until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World's Fair, and Sylvie's world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose's violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, they're taken on a search that points to Rose's long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong? 

This book releases on February 2, 2021. For more information, check out the following links:

Jocelyn Green's website: https://www.jocelyngreen.com/ 

Jocelyn Green's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jocelyngreenauthor

My full 5 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3396887688

Book recommendation - Dreams of Savannah

 

Roseanna M. White is one of my go-to authors for Christian historical fiction. Her latest novel, Dreams of Savannah, takes place in Savannah, Georgia during the Civil War. Writing from the perspective of slave owners in a Christian fiction novel was a bold move, but it was a story that needed to be told, and as a white woman who has always lived in the north, it's a story I've not been told before. I was grateful that the author went to a fellow Christian author, who happens to be black, for a unique perspective. While there may be parts some find offensive, the author has told this tale as one true to history and with grace. I'd recommend powering through as the characters learn and grow, and change their perspective some.

Here's a blurb about the book.

Cordelia Owens can weave a dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.

But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him.

As the War Between the States rages ever nearer and Savannah’s slaves start sneaking away to the islands off the coast to join the Yankees, both Phin and Cordelia get caught up in questions they never thought they’d have to ask–questions that threaten the very dreams of a future they’d cherished.

This book releases on January 5, 2021 and is available for pre-order now! Check out the links below for additional information:

Roseanna M. White's website: https://www.roseannamwhite.com/

Roseanna M. White's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RoseannaMWhite

My full 5-star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3446443392

Book Recommendation - Joy to the World

 If you're looking for a Regency romance collection for the holidays, this is a good one! Three lovely novellas in one place, based in lyrics of the well-known Christmas hymn by the same name. Here's a little bit about this collection:

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome both their obligations and their fears to find their way back into each other's arms?

"Far as the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

Here is my full 4-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3653500188

Book Recommendation - To Dwell Among Cedars

 Connilyn Cossette is one of my go-to authors when it comes to Biblical fiction. While most "Bibfic" authors bring the Scriptures to life for me, Ms. Cossette picks the obscure parts of Israel's history and brings those elements to life. Her last series focused on the Cities of Refuge that were set up when Israel took the Promised Land. This book begins a new series and is set during the time that the Ark of the Covenant is placed in Kiryat-Yearim after it was returned from Philistine territory. This duology follows Philistine siblings who followed the Ark and were adopted into a Levite family. As you may know, adoption is something that is close to my heart, and so adding in this theme of adoption was just another thing to love about this novel!

I also loved the musical element to this novel. As the Levites were central, the musicians played a large part in this novel and I loved that about it as well. And of course, the lessons about Yahweh. Ms. Cossette is a master at bringing these stories to life!

As a part of her launch team, I was able to participate in some Q&A with her. Here's how it went:

Writing about the Philistines must have been different research wise. Did you find out anything about them that was unexpected that made it in the story?

 Research is always one of my favorite aspects of writing historical novels. But what was especially exciting about digging into the Philistines was there have been some recent, groundbreaking discoveries made about these enigmatic people. For many, many years scholars and archeologists have speculated as to their origins and based on clues in the Word or educated guesses from the scant (in comparison to other ancient civilizations) material evidence of their culture, concluded that they were likely an Aegean people—although some believed they originated in Turkey or other areas northeast of Israel and some even speculated that they came from Africa—but no one really know anything definitive until now. But just last year the evidence came forth in the form of DNA from a Philistine cemetery! We know know that the Philistines were transplants from Europe who came down through the Aegean on ships and most notably settled on the island of Crete. Why is this important? Because this is exactly what the Bible told us. The Word says that the Philistines came from the island of Capthor which is the ancient name for Crete. Because of this DNA evidence I was able to use some of the things we know about the ancient inhabitants of Crete, including the Minoans and the Myceneans to build my imagination about what the culture of Philistia might have been. So thank you, scientists, for making a major discovery about the very people I was writing about in To Dwell among Cedars just in time!

 

I loved the theme of adoption and grafting into a family. What inspired that story arc?

 Well first of all, I was adopted myself at birth, so adoption is deeply entwined with my own story. My brother, too, was adopted from Korea when I was six (he was four) so there were some major cultural differences we navigated as a family over the years. As well, I am the adoptive mother of two precious kids, both of whom entered our family at birth. And since adoption is such a strong theme in the Word of God and we, through Jesus’s blood, are grafted into the family of God, when the idea sparked in my mind about two Philistine children following the Ark of the Covenant into Hebrew territory it was only natural that I would explore that theme in a physical, emotional, and a spiritual sense.

 

I love that you take times of the Bible that are not as well known and expand on them. What brought you to this portion of biblical history to write about?

It was actually my trip to Israel in late 2017 that planted the seed of this story in my imagination. We were traveling up from the Valley of Elah where David fought Goliath and towards Jerusalem when our tour guide mentioned we were near Beth Shemesh and likely on the same path upon which the wagon carrying the Ark of the Covenant traveled on its way back from Philistine territory during the events of 1 Samuel 4-7. Immediately, I had a vision pop into my head of the cow-drawn wagon bumbling along the road and two children following after it, curious about where it was headed. And voila! The Covenant House series was sown into my imagination. It wasn’t until over a year later that I began to expand that idea and plot it out with my writing partners but I’ll never forget the moment that idea came to life in my head on that road to Jerusalem.

 

What do you hope readers will glean from this story?

My hope is that through this story of two enemy children adopted into the family of Abraham,  readers will be reminded just what a privilege and a blessing it is to be grafted into God’s family through the covenant of Jesus’s blood. Both Eliora (also known as Arisa) and Lukio (also known as Natan) have different experiences when it comes to their union with the Hebrew family that watches over the Ark of the Covenant, and both take very different journeys to accepting their new identities as grafted-in and loved children but the redemption they discover along the way is worth the difficult path for certain.

 

Two of the main characters in to Dwell among Cedars have a name change during the story, why did you choose to do this (especially when it can be confusing to readers)?

In the Word, there are a number of instances where God changes people’s names. Abram is changed to Abraham, Sarai is changed to Sarah, Jacob is changed to Israel, and Jesus changes Simon’s name to Peter (although the Hebrew form of that name is Kefa, not Peter). These name changes were always accompanied with a change in the purpose of that person—a shift in identity, if you will. And when a child is adopted into a new family more often than not a name change is part of the union with their new family. And without giving spoilers, I will say that my characters have drastically different reactions to the change from Philistine to Hebrew names which are symbolic of their own unique journeys, so I felt this aspect was necessary to illustrate their internal struggles in accepting their new identities and purposes among the people of Abraham. 

Is there a moment in the novel that spoke to you as you wrote it?

Yes, there was a scene I wrote near the end of the book that had me literally sobbing as I wrote it. Perhaps not everyone will be affected as I was by this moment but as an adopted child it touched me deeply and reminded me just how much my Abba loves me. Of course I can’t say exactly which scene it is, since I want readers to experience it all without spoilers, but I can say that not only did I cry as I wrote it, I did so every time I edited it after that. And when I read it aloud to my daughter during editing I had to stop a number of times and catch my breath before I could finish.

 

 Was there a quote or scene that you felt the Lord speak through?
“How marvelous that two enemy children, wild branches by any measure, could—like my father had said—become one with the sons of Avraham. Just as if we were born of the same blood.” -Eliora. This quote sums up not only the theme of the book, but the mystery of the Gospel itself. 

What was something that has surprised you as you begin to journey into the book of Judges and Kings?

I’d never realized that there was a shift in the lineage of the Aaronic priesthood sometime before Eli became high priest (1 Samuel). Instead of the descendants of Eleazar (a son of Aaron), the descendants of Itamar (another son of Aaron) held the priestly seat for many years and the honor was not restored to Eleazar’s line until David put Zadok in that position. As with any shift in power, be it religious or civil, tensions were likely very high and according to ancient Samaritan writings there was even a civil war between the two factions during this time. Since that is not played out in the Word, we don’t know whether or not that actually happened, but it certainly fueled my imagination about what turbulence might have been going on in Israel at the end of the Judges era and into that of the Kings. Add in the Philistines, a stolen Ark, and a mysterious prophet and you have all the makings of some high drama. 

Did you find out anything unexpected about the Philistines that made it in the story?

One of the things that people don’t realize is just how advanced their civilization was. The Minoans and Myceneans (who were the early Greeks) had some seriously amazing architecture (some of which still stands at Knossos on Crete) and since the Philistines came from Crete they brought their gorgeous art/building techniques, distinctive pottery, advanced wine culture, and other aspects of their material culture along with them. The things we associate with the ancient Greeks, myths/art/governance/sports etc. all very likely were born during this time period even if they found their golden age a few hundred years later. Their cities were so well planned and their technology so advanced that there were even storm drains in the street and indoor plumbing in some places. The Philistines also brought their distinctive cooking practices with them, which involved round hearths upon which covered cook pots with narrow necks and lids would sit amongst low flames for long periods to tenderize even the toughest of meats. One disturbing thing about the Philistines, however, is that puppy sacrifice was very common and that dog meat was often in those slow cookers, which of course was abhorrent to the Hebrews whose law said never to eat animals with paws. The Philistines also were very fond of dice games, which readers will discover is a favorite past-time of one important character and they used dice that have the very same number of dots on the sides as the ones we use now. 

What comes next in this series?

Between the Wild Branches will release July 6th of next year and is a continuation of the story of the two siblings featured in this duology. All I can say is that I am totally in love with the hero (shh, don’t tell my husband) and I’ve never had so much fun writing a book as I did with BTWB. Once readers finish To Dwell among Cedars I am pretty sure they are going to be saying “hurry up July” like I am.

 

This book releases December 1, 2020. Make sure to check it out! I know I am definitely one of those saying "hurry up July"! Here are some links for additional information:

Connilyn Cossette's website:https://www.connilyncossette.com/

Connilyn Cossette's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ConnilynCossette
My full 5-star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3191541396?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

Book Recommendation - Courting Misfortune

 Regina Jennings is a new to me author that I discovered in the novella collection "The Kissing Tree". I thoroughly enjoyed her contribution to that collection and so when I saw that she had a new series coming out, I jumped at the opportunity to get an early copy of book 1. While the romance in this one felt cheesy at times and I had some difficulty connecting with the characters at times, there was a solid faith thread and Jennings' signature humor in her historical romance novels shined through in this novel as well. Calista's family had me in stitches pretty regularly!I really enjoyed the mystery of the story and the ending was quite satisfying!

Here's a bit about the book:

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children’s home. He’ll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm’s way.

Calista doesn’t need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can’t let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

This book releases December 1, 2020. For more information, check out the following links:

Regina Jennings' website:https://reginajennings.com/

Regina Jennings' Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ReginaLJennings

My full 4 star review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3599933375