Twist on story of Ruth and Naomi

Shadow among Sheaves by Naomi Stephens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Shadow Among Sheaves is yet another book based upon the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible. This particular version has a few interesting twists. To begin with the main character is from India. This particular plot twist really heightens the fact that she has left everything behind with no possible way of going back and that she is facing a completely different culture. Given the cultural differences, she faces intense backlash which is only heightened by the kindness of Lord Barrick and how people interpret his actions. Because it is the story of Ruth and Naomi, most readers are going to be completely familiar with how the story ends but will enjoy the path which author Naomi Stephens takes to get there. All in all, this book was a quick and enjoyable read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Shadow Among Sheaves via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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The Spy You Never Knew

When you think of the French Resistance movement in World War II, images of spies, individuals blowing up bridges, and committing other subversive acts to help defeat Nazi Germany come to mind. The woman who was the head of the Alliance, the most famous French resistance organization, probably does not come to mind. Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler will definitely change that!

This marvelous book chronicles Madame Fourcade's involvement in the Alliance from the beginning of the war until its end and beyond. Author Lynne Olson does provide some background information at the beginning of the book which helps to answer the important questions of why and how Madame Fourcade, also know as Marie-Madeleine, was asked to take on this important role. Throughout the pages, the reader is introduced to many individuals with whom Marie Madeleine interacted with during the course of the war. The large number of individuals mentioned throughout the book demonstrate the vastness of the Alliance and how involved the French citizens were in the war. While reading of the numerous spies, readers will rejoice at their victories and weep for those who were caught. While reading I had to frequently remind myself that the events portrayed were true and not fiction. Marie-Madeleine's life, and those of the other spies you meet in these pages, is a wonderful reminder that people are much stronger than we think and will rise to the challenge set before them.

Madame Fourcade's Secret War is recommended for a variety of readers. Anyone who enjoys reading and studying World War II will want to add to their shelf. Anyone who enjoy spy stories will want to read this as well. If you are seeking the story of a remarkable but little know woman, Madame Fourcade's Secret War fits the description. I had not encountered author Lynne Olson's works previously but will be seeking out her other works which primarily focus on World War II.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Madame Fourcade's Secret War via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Not Your Typical WW2 Novel

The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Susan' Meissner's most recent novel The Last Year of the War is a heart-wrenching story told by the main character Elise Dove who is nearing the end of her life. Her story depicts the little known story of German-Americans who were place in internment camps during World War II. Elise's story is unique as she becomes best friends with a Japanese-American girl who is also in the internment camp. The impeccably researched story tells Elise's life as she leaves the internment camp and then lives the remainder of her life. A twist in this story is that the main character has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and she has given a name to the disease which she describes as thief stealing her memories.

The Last Year of the War stands out among the many novels set during World War II due to the unique vantage point from which the story is told. We often think of the internment camps as focusing solely on Japanese-Americans. Meissner brings another aspect of these camps and the horrendous civil rights abuses of this time period to the forefront.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book The Last Year of the War via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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Blackbird Mountain

Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! In Sons of Blackbird Mountain, Joanne Bischof does a marvelous job of demonstrating both the bonds of brotherhood and the horrible travesties of alcohol. Bischof also shows the impact of a deep-seated hatred. The book is well-written and engaging. As soon as you finish, you will want to pick up the sequel.

Daughters of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischof
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Daughters of Northern Shores, the second book in Joanne Bischof's Blackbird Mountain series, focuses more fully, but not exclusively, on younger brother Haakon. Reading the first book, Sons of Blackbird Mountain, is imperative to understanding much of what happens in this book. During the course of the book, the hate which previously played a prominent role continues to drive the story as the Norgaard family with the nearby Sorrell family. Love and the bonds of family and friends are tested through sickness and in health and with the return of the black sheep of the family who becomes the Prodigal Son.

Daughters of Northern Shores is a much darker story than the first in the series yet the story cannot be fully told without that aspect. As such, it is not cheerful pioneer romance. That said, it does end on a happy note and leaves the reader eager to read the hopefully forthcoming third volume in the series.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Daughters of Northern Shores from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Help for the Soon-to-Be College Parent!

Many books exist that espouse various ways to make sure your child's college application stands out so they get into their dream schools and how to ensure your child aces the scholarship competition. These books seem to stop at the application stage and do not address the important questions of how to navigate the time between receiving acceptance letters, move-in day, and even through the end of the first semester. Countdown to College: The Essential Steps to Your Child's Successful Launch by Monique Rinere tackles these questions and so many more. Monique Rinere speaks from experience as she has served as dean of advising, residential dean, and a myriad of other positions at Ivy League schools. She is currently Associate Vice President at The New School in Greenwich Village, New York City. Her experience with countless students allows her the opportunity to share first hand the questions that you never thought to ask but now will know are important to consider.

Countdown to College is divided into three parts. Rinere begins with the questions of how to choose the college your child will attend after the acceptance letters have been received. She proposes numerous questions to explore to help you decide between choice A and B or more. Questions include items about financial aid and deciding whether a college is a good "fit" for your child. After deciding on the one school, Rinere then turns to the questions and concerns that arise over the summer such as housing, medical, registration, orientation, and more. She also provides helpful hints on how to prepare your child for the changes in schedule they will find when heading to classes that meet a few times a week instead of the day-in and day-out schedule of high school. The final part focuses on the all important first semester. Rinere does not advocate helicopter parenting at all but does raise items that you as a parent can suggest your child look into or do on campus, particularly if they hit a snag. My favorite part of the book are the wonderful lists of questions and summaries that pepper the pages. In addition to addressing concerns related to your soon-to-be college freshman, Rinere does a wonderful job of exploring not only the questions pertaining to your child's future but also including questions and suggestions concerning what you as a parent, and potentially an empty nester, will do with all of the new found time you have. She encourages parents to use this time to re-engage in previous hobbies and discover new interests or to further dive into your professional life.

Countdown to College is a great resource to guide parents through the send-off time period. While not quite there yet, I look forward to having this book handy during that time period. This is a book I highly encourage purchasing as a print copy instead of digital. You will find there are sections you wish to underline or highlight or add a post-it note to so that you can find a portion when needed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Countdown to College via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Micah 6:8 Exploded

If someone asks me my favorite Bible verse, Micah 6:8 is a very close contender for favorite. This verse, while very simple and to the point, is also very complex. You can spend a great deal of time exploring what it means to "act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." Rusty George does that just that in his newest book Justice. Mercy. Humility. A Simple Path to Following Jesus.

Rusty George uses Micah 6:8 as a springboard for several important theological concepts in this book. He explains the Trinity and who the God with whom we are to walk humbly is while also providing a great birds-eye view of the Bible. After laying this foundation, George goes on to thoroughly explain what justice, mercy, and humility are and how these qualities should be lived out in the life of a Christian. He does a superb job of connecting the exposition of this text, theology, and practical application. Numerous illustrations demonstrate the concepts. A variety of scripture passages from the Old and New Testament as well as the original Greek and Hebrew words are used to really dive into the text. While writing for a general audience, George definitely did the academic groundwork for the book. While the content and examples given are appropriate for believers who have been following Christ for a long-time, the book would be a great resource of new believers.

Each chapter has a section of suggested things to do which help readers apply the concepts as well as a list of discussion questions. Having both items allows this book to be used in numerous settings. Justice. Mercy. Humility. would be an excellent resource for a small group study or Sunday School class. Groups could choose to read each chapter individually , practice the concepts, and then come back to discuss or could read and discuss the chapter together and put the concepts in practice together as a group. This book could also form the basis of an all church study with sermons related to the topics. Beyond these group settings, this resources is great for personal reading and study as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Love. Justice. Humility from Bethany House via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Note: I selected this book due to the title, as justice is a passion of mine, and because Micah 6:8 is such an important verse. I was not familiar with Rusty George as an author beyond the information that he pastors a large church in California. I hadn't read very far into the book before the author mentioned the name of another minister with whom I was familiar and had heard speak before. This sent me on a mission to learn about Rusty George. I was delighted to find that he is a graduate of both a Bible College and a Seminary that are "sister schools" to the institution where I work as a librarian. While I would have enjoyed the book regardless, the connection of knowing some of the same people increased my enjoyment of the book.

A WWI Story Within a Story

When I first read the description of Julie Berry's new novel Lovely War, I immediately picked it up to read.

Berry weaves a wonderful World War I story which is told inside of a story set in World War II. The World War I story of an English soldier and his girl and a Belgian girl and an African American soldier keeps the reader interested. Berry pulls in the story of young first love and the horror of war both from the viewpoint of soldiers and their loved ones. Berry also explores the racism experienced by African American soldiers-particularly at the hands of southern soldiers and the work women were forced to take on during the war. Her research is impeccable as demonstrated by a thorough afterword in which Berry tells what parts of her story are based on truth and provides a length bibliography for further reading. Readers will be tempted to pull up early ragtime and jazz tunes as they are mentioned frequently.

The World War II portion occurs in December of 1942. The characters are Greek gods such as Aphrodite, Ares, Apollo, and others who are engaged in a trial. The World War I story is narrated primarily by Aphrodite during the course of the trial. This story within a story provides the opportunity for the various Greek gods to provide insight into the story of how they caused this event to happen and welcome characters to Hades.

While the story within a story construct provides the opportunity to bring in some interesting information about the Greek gods and goddesses, I felt this extra information weighed the story down. The explanation at the beginning of the story about the gods made the beginning chapters difficult to get through. When I came to the sections where the gods interacted during the trial scenes or added commentary to the story, I just wanted to get back to what was happening with our main characters.

Lovely War is a young adult novel geared towards readers 12 and up. While this book has no inappropriate physical interaction, it is a war story and war is horrific. As such I would recommend this book to older YA readers, 14 and up. Many adults who enjoy a good war romance will also enjoy this story so do not let the YA label keep you from enjoying it as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received the book Lovely War from Penguin Group via NetGalley. 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: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.