Hope’s Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer – A Lovely, Enjoyable, and Inspirational Read

 

Hope’s Enduring Echo is Kim Vogel Sawyer’s new book.  I have only read one other book by this author.  So glad I found this novel it was a lovely read, even with some weighty issues it addressed. 

 

Hope’s Enduring Echo takes place in Canon City, Colorado in 1915.  The story is about the Ward family, Claude, Edda, and their daughter Jennie.  Claude’s job was to do a daily inspection of the wooden pipeline that brings water to the town of Canon City.  The family live in a remote cabin near the pipeline and they have no neighbors.  Other than their monthly trip to town and seeing the train passengers and crew, they do not see too many people.  Claude had always taken pride in providing for his family.  Thing changed two years ago when he sustained a serious injury to his leg.  He was not able to do the inspections since then.  His daughter Jennie has taken over the daily inspection of the pipeline.  Claude’s leg was not the only wound, daily he seems to be losing the battle to melancholia. 

 

Jennie has been homeschooled since the Wards moved to the cabin.  She has missed being in school and having friends.  That is why Jennie prayed that God would bring her a friend.  Every day when the train passed by Jennie waved to the crew and passengers.  One day a college student, Leo Day, got off at their stop.  He had seen this girl waving what looked like a bone.  Could it be a bone from a dinosaur?  As a paleontologist, Leo wanted to take a closer look and find out where it came from.  Could this young man be the answer to Jennie’s prayer for a friend?

 

I absolutely loved reading Hope’s Enduring Echo.  It was such a change of pace from so many other books.  Instead of being action packed, the story focused on the characters and their relationships and how they develop, grow, and change. 

 

The best part of this book was the characters’ Christian faith.  The characters strived to live out their faith, to apply the Scriptures to their daily life, choices, and how they responded to situations.  I loved that when characters realized that they had acted unkindly or impatiently they showed repentance and strove to apologize and make amends. 

 

When I think of Christian fiction, Hope’s Enduring Echo is a wonderful example of what I am looking for.  The characters’ faith was integrated into who they were and how they lived their lives.  Faith was an integral part of the storyline. 

 

I also enjoyed the different characters, especially Jennie, Edda, and Leo.  Claude struggled with depression it was painful to see him stuck in that cycle.  I appreciate the tender and caring response his wife and daughter displayed.  It was nice seeing the relationship between Jennie and Leo develop.  I found Leo’s quest to locate dinosaur bones and the study of paleontology interesting.

 

I enjoyed reading Hope’s Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer and I highly recommend this book.  I look forward to reading more of this author’s novels, past and future books.  Kim writes in a manner that takes me back to what Christian fiction was like when I was a new believer.  Seeing the Christian faith as essential in the characters lives. 

 

I would like to thank Waterbrook Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of Hope’s Enduring Echo by Kim Vogel Sawyer.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis – Loved This Book, Enjoyable Characters, and Interesting Relationships

 

I enjoy Amish fiction but had never read any novels by Beverly Lewis.  After reading the description of the The Heirloom, I wanted to read her newest book.  I am so glad I did!

 

The Heirloom tells the story of Clara Bender and her great aunt Ella Mae Zook.  Clara’s world has changed since her mother’s death a year ago.  In the months after her mother’s passing, Clara had grown closer to her father.  But since he remarried a couple of months ago, things had changed and home didn’t feel the same.  At nineteen years old, Clara knew that one day she would leave home.  The prospects for a good match in her community were not promising because eligible men about her age were not available. 

 

While clearing out her mother’s desk, Clara found letters her mom had exchanged with aunt Ella Mae.  It seemed they had a very close relationship and a deep connection.  That got Clara to thinking, perhaps she could go visit her great aunt in Pennsylvania for a couple of weeks.  Get to know her and connect over their shared love for Clara’s mom.  Her dad is reluctant to let Clara go but relents with the understand that she will be back in a couple of weeks.  His concern is that the Amish community in Hickory Creek is much stricter than the one in First Light, Indiana.  That was one of the reasons they had moved.

 

I absolutely loved reading The Heirloom.  I enjoyed the main characters Clara and Ella Mae and the people surrounding them.  I found the storyline compelling and moving.  Clara’s grief was relatable and Ella Mae was such a kind and caring person to all who were around her.  Both characters were thoughtful, hardworking, and other centered. 

 

What I appreciated the most about this book is the aspect of their Christian faith.  It was part of their everyday life and impacted how they lived. I have read other Amish fiction and have often thought it seemed like faith based on works, instead of faith that bears the fruit of repentance and good works.  That part of the Amish faith was explored in this book.  Not in a heavy-handed manner, but in thoughtful way.  I appreciated that the Gospel of Christ was clearly shared.  It was enjoyable to see young people building relationships that were pure.

 

The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis was so enjoyable.  The characters and relationships were well developed.  This novel had a richness you don’t often find in books.  Not everything was sunshine and flowers, there were some difficult subjects addressed.  I was very moved by Clara and Ella Mae’s story, and found myself grieved and wondering how the story would turn out.  I trusted the author no matter if it had a good ending or a sad ending, she handled the story and characters well.

 

I highly recommend The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis.  It was enjoyable, rich, and thought provoking.  So glad that I found this author whose work is new to me and look forward to reading more of her books.

 

I would like to thank Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read complimentary copy of The Heirloom by Beverly Lewis.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.    

 

J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath – Learn about this influential Christian Thinker

Following the death of J. I. Packer in 2020, I was interested in reading J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath.  I wanted to know more about this well-respected man who had impacted Christians through his writing, most notably through Knowing God.

This book is not your typical biography, instead, the author focused on J. I. Packer’s Christian faith, theology, writing, and influence within the Christian community.  I appreciated learning about what was happening within Christianity during Packer’s life and career and his commitment to the authority of Scripture and defense of the faith. 

My favorite part of this book was learning how J. I. Packer came to faith in Jesus Christ and seeing God’s hand direct this young man and use him as a strong defender of the Christian faith.  I would have liked to hear more about the personal aspects of Packer’s life and have a fuller picture of this man of God.

If your faith walk has been influenced by J. I. Packer’s writing, or you would like to learn more about this man who influenced Christian thinking during his lifetime and beyond, I encourage you to read J. I. Packer His Life and Through by Alister McGrath. 

I would like to thank InterVarsity Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of J. I. Packer His Life and Thought by Alister McGrath.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin – Loved this book and Didn’t Want It to End.

Sarah Sundin has quickly become one of the writers whose work I love to read.  Her newest book, The Land Beneath Us was wonderful.  This is the third book in Sundin’s Sunrise at Normandy series and this book focuses on the youngest of the Paxton brothers, Clay.  Readers of the first two books, The Sea Before Us and The Sky Above Us, will already be familiar with the Paxton’s story.  But it doesn’t take away from this book because you’ll get to see things through Clay’s eyes. 

I loved the characters in this book, especially Clay, Leah, and the Paxton family as well as their close friends.  The characters are decent, honest, and caring people whom I’d like to know.  They are kind, but not perfect and have areas they need to grow in.  Forgiveness is a big theme in this book.  It’s was thought-provoking to see Clay and Leah wrestle with forgiveness and see them come to the realization that though they have been wronged they too have sins they need to deal with. 

I loved learning about the training and preparation the Rangers and Army went through as they prepared for D-Day.  While this is a small picture of what the men endured in WWII, it gave me a renewed appreciation for what they did as we come up to the 75^th Anniversary V-E Day, May 8, 1945.  D-Day was a critical part of winning that battle.

I appreciated that the Christian faith was included in the storyline and that the book was clean and not filled with sexual immorality and vulgarity.  I found it interesting to learn what it may have been like to be an orphan growing up in the 1930s and 40s and the prejudice orphans may have faced.  I loved the courage that Clay demonstrated in battle, in relationships, and looking in the mirror at his own flaws.  Leah also demonstrated and lived out courage and chose to look at the good instead of focusing on the bad. 

Though The Land Beneath Us is the 3^rd book in the Sunrise at Normandy series, it would make a good stand-alone book.  The author does a good job of filling in the background of what happened with the characters in the first two books. 

The Land Beneath Us by Sarah Sundin was wonderful and I was sorry to see it end.  This is a book and series I would want to read again.  I loved this book and highly recommend it.  If you haven’t read the first two books, you may want to read them as well, but it’s not necessary to enjoy this book. 

I would like to thank Revell Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Land Beneath Us.  I was supplied with a complimentary e-book and was under no obligation to give a favorable review. 

Clear Confusion by Kathy M Howard – Book Review, Review Tour and Giveaway

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour (and Giveaway!) for Clear Confusion by Kathy M. Howard, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Clear Confusion
Author: Kathy M. Howard
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: July 1, 2019
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller

What am I going to do, God? Who am I?

Charlotte Hallaway needs to come to terms with her father's death. He had been her only family, and she wasn't handling her grief well. It was just supposed to be a few weeks of peace and quiet to process it all, but then she saw them-a drug deal and a murder within seconds of each other.

And they saw her.

Now running for her life, Charlotte boards a bus to escape her pursuers and wakes up the next morning in the woods of Jennings, Georgia, without a memory of how she got there or of who she is. All she knows is an underlying fear she can't seem to shake.

When two hunters find her battered and scared, can she put aside the clear confusion she's experiencing to trust them? She wants to trust them, especially Nicholas, but fear is holding her back. Trust is incredibly hard when one is so clearly confused. Could it be he and his friend are not who they claim to be?

Who are they really . . . and who is she?

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Christianbook

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Clear Confusion Excerpt

5:30 a.m.

The woman awoke to the sound of wind dancing rather loudly through the treetops and a strange sense of fear. Underneath her, a cool, hard ground gave off a scent of wet mud, causing her nostrils to crinkle.

Inside, her head pounded with her heartbeat. She squeezed her eyes shut, giving herself a minute. It didn’t do much good. Her mind was too fuzzy to successfully decipher her bearings. Somehow an internal fog blocked her ability to reason.

God, where am I?

Although she heard evidence of early morning hours, it was dark, practically pitch black. Nothing visible beyond a few feet, and even that was blurry. Another gust of wind blew, bringing a breeze across her left cheek. A few goose bumps appeared. The other side of her face, shielded from the gust, remained impressed in dried mud. Although it was hard, it felt icky pasted against her skin. She tried to gently pull herself out of the crusted grime but found the movement harder than she’d expected.

The muscles in her arms and legs were sore—really sore. But why? She sat up tenderly, placing a hand on her forehead. The effort to lift her body proved difficult. Carefully and ever so slowly, she stood the rest of the way. With one hand steadying her head and the other out­stretched, she inched her feet forward, searching for something sturdy.

Why do I have on only one shoe? Where is my other shoe?

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My Review - Clear Confusion by Kathy M Howard – Gripping Suspense, Romance and Grounded in Faith

Clear Confusion is the first book I’ve read by Kathy M Howard and what a great introduction into this author’s work.  I loved this book! 

Just who is Charlotte and what in the world did she see that caused her to flee?  How did she end up in a tree in the forest, scratched, bruised and hurting?  Who are these men that awakened her?  Friends or foes?  Most of all why can’t she remember anything?  Not even who she is or where she came from?

From the get-go, the reader will be dropped into the middle of a suspenseful story that will grip you until the very end.  The truth about what happened to Charlotte will be unveiled as she has to trust and depend on Nicholas Nelson and his family as they provide a safe haven for her.

I love mysteries and suspense and this book is filled with both.  But it doesn’t stop there, the story and characters are well developed.  I loved that the Nelson family were kind, decent and caring people that come alongside Charlotte when she is vulnerable, hurting and doesn’t know who she is.  Romance is a part of the story and developed slowly as Nicholas is interested in Charlotte, but he doesn’t rush her, instead he gives her the time to heal and remember first.

What I appreciated most about Clear Confusion is that the Christian faith and the Gospel are woven throughout this story.  Though Charlotte didn’t know who she was, she knew that God and Jesus Christ were part of her life.  Even in her fear, she knew she should pray and read the Bible.  Faith is a big part the Nelson family’s life too. 

I appreciated that Kathy Howard didn’t have the characters make stupid decisions that put themselves in danger to advance the story or heighten the suspense.  Her characters were smart and reasonable.  I loved that the Gospel of Christ was clearly presented in this book and how faith was lived out by the characters in what they said and prayed and how they lived their lives. 

While I suspected who the bad guys were, there remained some mystery because, until the end, I didn’t know who two of the villains where and how they were connected to other characters. 

Clear Confusion by Kathy M Howard was a great story.  Interesting, filled with suspense and made just right by characters living out their Christian faith.  I give Clear Confusion a big thumbs up and look forward to reading more of author Kathy M Howard’s books in the future. 

I would like to thank Ambassador International and Just Read Tours for providing a complimentary copy of Clear Confusion.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.  The views expressed are solely my own.   

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy M. Howard resides in south Georgia with her husband and two children. She has been involved in some form of education since 1998 as an elementary school teacher, a private school principal, and presently as a homeschooling mom. As a child, she despised reading, dreading every assignment the subject gave. As an adult, Kathy finally learned to appreciate the written word, so much so that she is rarely seen without her nose in a book.

She loves the Lord and wants to share Jesus where she can, using words written and spoken. By God's goodness and with the support and love of her family, she has written two novels, From Dishes to Snow (October, 2014), and its sequel, From Driftwood to Sapphire (August, 2015).

CONNECT WITH KATHY:  Website | Facebook | Twitter

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a print copy (US only)
plus (1) additional winner will receive an ebook

Full tour schedule shown below. Giveaway will begin at midnight July 23, 2019 and last through 11:59 PM EST on July 30, 2019. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Print US only. Ebook available internationally.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

Hidden Peril by Irene Hannon – Intrigue, Suspense and Romance

When given the opportunity to read Irene Hannon’s newest book, Hidden Peril, I jumped at the chance.  She’s quickly become one of my favorite writers.  This is the second book in the Code of Honor series and characters Kristin, Colin and Rick continue on this in this book with Kristin as the main focus. 

Hidden Peril is a gripping and suspenseful mystery, but it’s a little different because terrorism is part of the plot.  When you see stories on the news about ISIS and terrorism you don’t think it’s going to impact your everyday life.  But what if it did? 

Kristin Dane is not your ordinary woman.  After graduating college, she served in the Peace Corp in Ethiopia for two years.  When she returned home, she still had a vision to try and make a difference for good in the lives of people who live in war-torn countries.  When Luke Carter meets Kristin at the wedding of a mutual friend, he probably didn’t anticipate encountering her again, especially in his role as police detective.  Luke’s path intersects with this intriguing and beautiful woman when one of Kristin’s employees is found dead.  Is the death of a monk 10,000 miles away in Syria possibly connected? 

One of my favorite things about Irene’s writing are the characters.  They are good, decent, nice people that you’d like to know.  They grow, change and heal the brokenness in their lives.  In this book, you see wonderful examples of committed friendship between Kristin, Colin and Rick. 

Hidden Peril was very suspenseful and kept me guessing to the end.  Though I suspected who the bad guy was, I didn’t know how that would be revealed and what would happen to the people at the end of the story.

I greatly appreciate that Irene Hannon is able to write good books, with interesting likable characters and intriguing situations without resorting to filthy language, or immoral sexual situations.  I appreciate how she weaves the Christian faith into the character’s lives.

If you like intrigue, mystery and romance, be sure to read Hidden Peril by Irene Hannon.  It’s another great read by a wonderful author.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Revell Publishers for the opportunity to read Hidden Peril in exchange for an honest review.  I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.