Governess of Highland Hall

Carrie Turansky has a winner with her book The Governess of Highland Hall. I had not read any of her novels before but the description of this novel enticed me to try it out.

Julia Foster seeks a governess position to help support her family who had been missionaries in India until her father's failing health forced them to return to England. As governess she is charged with the education and training of four children including two young children whose mother has recently passed away and two young ladies preparing for the coming out season. The two young ladies feel they are too old for a governess and resent her presence and her lack of experience with high society. Julia also find herself at odds with the other house staff who resent her being taken into confidence by William, the master of the house, as well as his sister, Sarah.

The Governess of Highland Hall does a wonderful job of portraying the ins and outs of the differences between the various tiers of society in pre-World War I England and how those tiers are beginning to break down. Highland Hall shows not only the titled class but also the titled class without wealth and the servants. Julia finds herself caught in the middle as the educated but penniless governess. As you may imagine, several romantic relationships ensue between various characters in this novel which cross the appropriate social lines. Adding to the plot is the fact that William must find a way to pay the inheritance taxes on Highland Hall or lose the family estate and that a wealthy marriage seems to be the only way to obtain the needed funds.

To tell anymore would give away the ending of this charming novel. While predictable in the outcome, there are multiple twists and turns in the execution which keep the reader guessing until the very end. Downton Abbey fans will enjoy The Governess of Highland Hall as will other fans of clean historical romance.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogging for Books. 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.”

Can Jimmy's Christmas be saved?

In Ace Collins' book The Christmas Star, Jimmy Reed doesn't want anything to do with Christmas. This year the community is excited about Christmas since everyone is home from the war--everyone except Jimmy's dad. Jimmy's dad had been killed in action and now his Congressional Medal of Honor was the only star on their Christmas tree. Feeling angry at the world, Jimmy was headed downhill fast. Looking for a quick buck. Jimmy tangles with the wrong crowd and doesn't think he can find a way out. Fortunately for Jimmy several individuals take an interest in him specifically the school bus driver Calvin and Audrey, a cute girl at school.

Calvin becomes an unexpected mentor when he takes Jimmy with him to deliver Christmas presents to the less fortunate. In the process, Jimmy learns more about his father and the impact his father had on their community. As Jimmy discovers the true meaning of Christmas and what kind of person his father would want him to be, he tries to get out of the hot water he is in without causing himself or his mother to be hurt. Several twists and turns result in an unexpected resolution to this issue which the proceeds to precipitate several additional surprises which cause this Christmas to be extra special for Jimmy.

The Christmas Star by Ace Collins is a warm enjoyable tale for the Christmas season. This particular tale appeals to both men and women. Individuals of all ages ranging from young people to the elderly will enjoy this story. My own pre-teen daughter can't wait to read it, and I look forward to passing my copy on to my own father as well. The Christmas Star is a 5 star story but don't take my word for it! Watch the trailer or start reading today!

I received a complementary copy of this book from Abingdon Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Not Just Any Quilt

I don't know about you, but Christmas and quilts just seem to go together as do babies and quilts. And when I think of quilts, I think of the Amish who are known for their quilts. So the title The Christmas Quilt jumped out at me. It was particularly excited to find this story revolves around not only a Christmas quilt but also a baby quilt.

When I began reading The Christmas Quilt by Vannetta Chapman, I was excited to find the characters are those first introduced in A Simple Amish Christmas. Thus I felt like I was catching up with old friends when I began reading. While familiarity with the characters was helpful, author Vannetta Chapman provides sufficient details so that readers just meeting these characters will have no problem following the story. Chapman begins the story by introducing Annie and Leah who are sisters-in-law and both expecting. Annie is excited to begin making a special quilt for Leah whose baby is due around Christmas time. Unfortunately, she has difficulty finding the time to sit down and work on it as Annie also is a nurse and assists her community quite often. Her nursing training comes in very handy when Leah experiences complications with her pregnancy and needs to be moved to a high risk unit at the hospital where Annie was previously employed.

Often Amish fiction with very few changes could just easily be historical fiction set on the frontier. An enjoyable twist to this particular work of Amish fiction was the very 21st century issues the characters faced. Too often it seems that characters in these books deal mostly with who is going to be married to whom or whether the young adult child is going to remain Amish or become an Englischer. Although there is tangential hinting of a romance between two minor characters, the main issues in this work are very similar to those non-Amish readers experience.

The Christmas Quilt is a very enjoyable piece of fiction just right for reading during the Christmas holiday or at any other time of the year. Begin reading this book now with this excerpt. The Christmas Quilt is part of the Quilts of Love series published by Abingdon Press. While this particular title is set in Amish country, not all of the books in this series are. I look forward to reading additional titles from this series.

I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Have You Blessed Someone Today?

"Blessed to be a blessing" is a phrase oft repeated in Christian circles. While meant as an encouragement, too often the idea of blessing others becomes another chore to check off a to-do list. In the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas, when we often spend more time considering our blessing and how much we have to be thankful, many feel encouraged to bless others, particularly those we term "less-fortunate" in a variety of ways. While always appreciated, the idea of blessing others is not limited to specific times of the year. Gerrit Dawson, in his book The Blessing Life: A Journey to Unexpected Joy published by InterVarsity Press, changes the idea of blessing from something to check off our list or another things to do during the busy Christmas season into a joyful response to God for every day no matter the season.

Dawson's book is divided into three parts which are titled Receiving Blessing from God, Returning Blessing to God, and Reflecting God's Blessing to Others. However, before delving into part one, begin by reading the introduction where Dawson sets the stage for his book. From the first page, Dawson makes it clear that the Blessing Life does not mean "a peachy, everything is all right" existence but "a vibrant relationship with the triune God who loves us utterly" (13). With the relational view in place, Dawson begins to discuss the variety of ways we receive blessing from God. He spends an entire chapter addressing the topic of blessing in the midst of suffering and emphasizes that these concepts are not exclusive of each other.

Part 2 Returning Blessing to God takes a slightly different format. Chapter 5 introduces the concept of blessing God emphasizing that blessing God can be practiced and learned. The subsequent chapters in this section each focuses on a picture of God and leads readers through meditating on that picture. These chapters deserve a slow and careful reading. Turning to part 3 Reflecting God's Blessing to Others, Dawson emphasizes a variety of ways Christians can bless others including those who persecute you and the importance of blessing through forgiveness.

Throughout the book, Dawson provides multiple examples from the lives of Christians showing that The Blessing Life is possible. The book also contains numerous scripture references and other citations. Dawson expertly combines stories of blessing, scripture, artwork, and music references into a book which inspires readers to not only go and bless others but to realize the ability to bless others is rooted in receiving a blessing from God. While reading the book, the children's chorus "the blessings come down as the prayers go up" frequently came to mind.

While a wonderful book by itself, Dawson also has a forty-day companion book titled A Guide to the Blessing Life which contains scripture reading and prayer corresponding to the book. I have not personally seen or used the companion guide to comment on its content yet although I plan to do so. The Blessing Life, with or without the companion guide, would make a wonderful resource for personal or group study. With the companion guide, it is well-suited for a church-wide study.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from InterVarsity Press. 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 usual Amish romance

Having previously read and enjoyed the first three books in Barbara Cameron's series Quilts of Lancaster County, I was excited to have the opportunity to read the most recent addition to this series Annie's Christmas Wish. This book picks up with Annie the daughter of Matthew and Jenny the main characters in the previous novels. We are also introduced to Aaron a young man from their community.

The title of this book originates from Annie's wish to see New York City at Christmas time. This dream has been field by a snow globe of the city given to her by Jenny as a child. Her wish comes true as her family has the opportunity to visit New York City. The book focuses on situations that put the anticipated trip in jeopardy and the adventures they have while in the city. As one would suspect, a definite culture clash occurs between Annie's Amish family and the experiences they have in New York City. These clashes open their eyes to benefits from living in their community and also provide unexpected opportunities for Annie.

While definitely Amish "bonnet fiction" the issues with which Annie struggles in this book are similar to those faced by many you adult Christian women but amplified due to her Amish heritage. Specifically, Annie desires to write and to have a "career" like her Mamm Jenny. Yet, she also wants to follow the traditions of her community by being married and having a family. This struggle causes relational difficulties with several other main characters. In particular, Annie's opportunity and the assumptions Aaron makes about what those opportunities will require creates quite a sore spot. Fortunately by the end of the book, the situation has been resolved quite satisfactorily.

I have greatly enjoyed Barbara Cameron's Amish fiction as her characters interact with Englischers frequently and struggle with the same issues as modern readers. The interaction between these different worlds sets these books apart and makes them less predictable than other Amish fiction. Although part of a series, Cameron includes sufficient background on the characters that reading the previous books is not necessary to enjoy Annie's Christmas Wish. Find a copy, a cup of your favorite hot beverage, and a cozy chair by the Christmas tree and enjoy!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. 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.”

Are you thriving?

Many people are slogging through live when instead they could Thrive: Live Like You Matter. This review is a chapter summary of this book.

Chapter 1 primarily serves as an introduction to the book explaining how the idea for the book and the title came from Proverbs 11:28 which states "Those who trust in their riches will fall but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." Author Lisa Toney emphasizes the meaning of righteous or righteousness is "right living" and previews the topics that are covered in the remainder of the book.

Chapter 2 focuses on that little bitty three letter word which many people throw around without thought. This little bitty word "yes" is a main reason why many people are not thriving. Toney emphasizes that in order to be people of integrity we must be wise in deciding to what we will say yes. Moving on to Chapter 3, Toney emphasizes that other little bitty two letter word which many people do not use often enough. However, before encouraging readers that saying no is a necessary part of setting boundaries, Toney reminds readers that in order to thrive you must never say no to God and his desires for you. Readers are also reminded that saying no allows you the space to say yes to other opportunities.

Chapter 4 centers on spinters and the damaging effect they have on our relationships. Readers will finish this chapter ready to take some planks out of their eyes so that they can begin forgiving others and themselves. After discussing a somewhat painful and laborious process, Toney encourages readers to celebrate in chapter 5. Yet before you can celebrate, you need to set goals worthy of celebrating when they are completed. This chapter gives excellent, clear, and concise advice on goal setting. I see this as a great chapter to return to in late December.

Chapter 6 focuses on dragon-slaying. You may wonder what dragons you need to slay, but Toney gives wonderful ideas on identifying and slaying several dragons we all meet from time to time. After engaging in dragon-slaying, chapter 7 transitions to swatting flies particularly the flies of injustice. You may ask "What difference will killing flies make?" Toney reminds readers of several ways to swat flies and that numerous people acting together will make a difference.

Toney uses the familiar symbol of a rainbow to remind readers that thriving requires hope in chapter 8. A discussion explores what hope is and is not. I enjoyed her reminder that engaging in self-care demonstrates hope in tomorrow. Equally important to the concept of thriving is peace but unfortunately, peace is in short-supply when our pace of life is so harried. Chapter 9 encourages readers to reconsider their pace from the perspective of relationships and balance. In conclusion, if you are thriving on all of your cylinders, excellence is the end-product. Toney sums up her book by encouraging readers to pursue excellence in chapter 10.

Each chapter includes wonderful discussion questions. Author Lisa Toney strikes just the right balance between citing enough resources to be credible and also being forthright enough to be engaging. This book would be a great, encouraging resource for a small group study. Although women may be drawn to the book, the content is equally applicable to men and women. Toney's website indicates an eight week video-based curriculum is being produced to accompany this book. Go and Thrive!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. 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.”

Bridging the Generations

The back cover of Letters From Ruby states “Not everything a young pastor needs to now can be taught in school” which sums up the first novel by Episcopal priest Adam Thomas quite well. As I work with many young ministers during my day job, I can attest to the truth of this statement and that much of what happens in ministry as well as any job must be experienced in real life. The main character, Calvin, quickly steps on toes and identifies the congregation’s official and unofficial leaders. Shortly after his arrival, Calvin experiences both the death of a parishioner as well as the birth and baptism of a new generation. Throughout his experiences in Victory, Calvin can count on his Morning Prayer ladies to guide him.

Thomas uses a variety of techniques to share Calvin’s adventures as a young priest as well as the story of Ruby and her husband. Calvin’s story begins in the present and then via flashback tells the story of his time in Victory, West Virginia when he first meets Ruby. His flashback is prompted by a letter from Ruby which, as the title indicates, appears regularly throughout the book. The juxtaposition of Calvin’s story and the letters give the reader almost the feeling of reading two stories at once yet the two techniques work together to tell an integrated story.

Some readers may be unfamiliar with various terms used in Letters from Ruby as it is set in an Episcopal church. Author, Adam Thomas, explains some unfamiliar terms and practices in passing, yet also expects readers to have some familiarity. Reading this book just may entice you to seek out a local Episcopal congregation to visit. Letters from Ruby shows how much different generations can learn from each other. As such, this book will appeal to individuals who enjoy a warm WWII romance and those who are looking for a more contemporary story as well. I hope to see more books from Adam Thomas in the future and perhaps even more about Calvin as he continues to grow in his ministry.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Abingdon Press. 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.”