Category: ARC (Advanced Reader Copy)

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Suspense

The Water Keeper/The Letter Keeper/The Record Keeper, by Charles Martin

Kristie

Beyond the comfort of our iPhones, Kindles, and smart TVs lies a grim world that we rarely, if ever, think about. It is the world of sex trafficking. Flesh for sale. If you’ve read Timothy Ballard’s Slave Stealers, which I highly recommend, you also know that it is one of the largest, fastest growing, most lucrative, horrifying industries on our entire planet.

These are not hardened women or shiny gigolos. These are children as young as five or six years old. Some are stolen, some are lured. All are deceived, sold, or auctioned off to the highest bidder. In the eyes of their captors they are simply chattel. A means to an end. A dollar sign with terrified eyes, but easily replaceable.

When I applied to read an advanced copy of The Record Keeper, by Charles Martin, I had no idea what lay ahead, yet I felt compelled to read the first two books in the Murphy Shepherd series before tackling the final installment. Little did I know I would be discovering an amazing author and a series that will stay with me forever.

Think of the novels as a jigsaw puzzle. The Water Keeper keeps those puzzle pieces relatively scattered, but organized enough to motivate the reader to pursue the second and third books. Our main character, Murphy Shepherd, is broken yet heroic. He is solitary but part of a network. He is spiritual but a man of action. Lots of action. He is also covert, compassionate, philanthropic, and mysterious.

But, above all, Murphy is selfless. His mentor, Bones, chose and trained him because of this specific quality. The person to be rescued is always, ALWAYS the first priority. Exhaustion, hunger, and even gaping wounds come second. We see examples of Murphy’s drive and skill in The Water Keeper. We also meet important characters whose lives will intertwine with our hero in the future.

In The Letter Keeper, we learn more about Murphy Shepherd’s backstory. More of the puzzle pieces come together with each rescue. We understand what drives him, his greatest loss, and his ultimate catharsis. Humble man that he is, even Murphy doesn’t realize the extent of his positive influence.

Last in the series is The Record Keeper, due out in July 2022. Before a shepherd is needed to rescue the sheep, there is the wolf that first endangers them. This wolf is the worst of the worst and he sold his soul long ago. But to pursue him we must first understand him. How did he become that way? There are always reasons.

I will admit, I had to take breaks with this series. It is intense. It is also beautifully written in an old-world style that forces our imaginations to do all the work. The way Charles Martin is able to craft such a bleak underbelly of society without graphic language or vulgar scenes shows his genius. He creates a brilliant balance of darkness and light. I highly, highly recommend these three books and very willingly give them a rare 10 Stars on this site. They are worth your time.

10/10 Stars

***It is impossible not to feel helpless when reading about this subject. Please take a moment to visit “real-life Murphy Shepherd,” Timothy Ballard’s site Operation Underground Railroad. They always need donations to fund their worldwide efforts to bring children home. Thank you.

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Beyond the Moonlit Sea, by Julianne MacLean

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 14, 2022

I’ve never read a book by Julianne MacLean before, but she is an author I will definitely seek out in the future. I absolutely LOVED Beyond the Moonlit Sea. It is nothing like what I expected, but that’s OK. It’s fun to be surprised and intrigued!

The synopsis said it is about a woman named Olivia Hamilton whose husband, Dean, goes missing around the Bermuda Triangle in a plane he was piloting alone. True. It also said there was a woman named Melanie Brown, a student doing a dissertation on why planes disappear in that section of the ocean. Also true. I knew these women’s paths would eventually intertwine–which they do–but not all at like I initially guessed. I like being wrong! Predictability is much less entertaining.

This novel has the mystery, romance, high-quality writing, and momentum of The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave, which is one of the highest compliments I can offer. I could NOT put it down. Many plots have multiple points of view from different characters, but this one did it expertly, allowing the reader to really see inside the minds of Olivia, Dean, and Melanie. We get a glimpse of the three main characters’ motivations and inner turmoil over several years. We’re also reminded that sometimes our circumstances are the results of our own choices and sometimes by the choices of others. Sometimes a tangled combination of both.

Beyond the Moonlit Sea is a winner and one of the best novels I’ve read all year. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.

9.5/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance

I’ll Be Seeing You, by Robin Lee Hatcher

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 7, 2022

When Brianna Hastings is asked to interview the oldest person in her family for a college assignment, she has no idea the impact it will have on her. The “interviewee” is her 98 year old great-grandmother, Daisy, whose teenage life in Boise, Idaho during World War II mirrors Brianna’s in ways she didn’t expect.

Most of the novel is set in the 1940s, as Daisy crushes on her older sister, Lillian’s, boyfriend, Brandan, right before he is deployed. A fateful choice brings next door neighbor, Todd Kinnear, to Daisy’s rescue. Todd, who is mature beyond his years but classified 4-F and cannot enlist, is as heroic as they come, yet has always been more like a brother to Daisy and Lillian. Still, he was the best part of the story.

I’ll Be Seeing You could be classified as Christian Fiction because of the amount of Biblical references and characters’ internal dialogue reconciling their actions with God’s teachings. However, the sisters’ immaturity and bad choices are so blatant that it appears they haven’t learned a thing, which makes the teachings feel heavy-handed and out of place.

The message of learning from others’ mistakes is fairly clear, as well as “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” but it is plot-driven more than character-driven. My motivation to keep reading was finding the answers to certain questions, some of which, frustratingly, never materialized. In the end, it read more like a Young Adult novel (and not a great one) than any other genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the advanced copy.

8/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Faith, Nonfiction, Self-Help

Raising Emotionally Strong Boys, by David Thomas

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 14, 2022

I am so impressed with this book! Although I’m not a parent, I have taught hundreds of boys ages 4-11 in my teaching career. I could not help but think of the variety of personalities and levels of emotional strength in my young students.

The insights and tools in this book are excellent. It emphasizes the importance of teaching boys not only to manage their emotions, but to give themselves permission to have them in the first place. It talks about how essential it is for boys to see examples of other men being vulnerable, asking for help, losing a competition, and mourning a loved one, all without compromising their manliness. That is something I appreciated greatly, being married to a very masculine, but also a sensitive man.

I also thought about the other men in my life: my second generation absent father, my brother who broke that cycle and is an extremely involved dad to his children, an amazing grandfather who often stepped into the father role, cousins and uncles, circling back to my husband, who is one of the most emotionally strong men I know.

While I welcome them, I was not prepared for the amount of Biblical references. They may, unfortunately, limit the book’s audience. The author uses Christ as the ultimate example of emotional strength. Who better to pattern your life after?

This would make a great book club selection, a terrific gift, and an interesting read for parents, grandparents, and teachers. Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

9.5/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Come Down Somewhere, by Jennifer L. Wright

Kristie

AVAILABLE September 5, 2022

After a couple of disappointing books that I refused to finish–my time is too valuable–I was pulled into the story of Olive and Jo in Come Down Somewhere. Now I’m in the midst of that awed exhaustion a reader gets after finishing an incredible book.

Beginning during World War II but set on US soil, the novel takes place in Alamogordo, New Mexico. I never knew the significance of that place. I do now. It was the site of the Trinity nuclear test–the first detonation of such a weapon–the fallout of which was much more than atomic.

Revolving around the lives of two teenage girls, Olive Alexander and Jo Hawthorne, we see war from the view of those on the American home front. Even those who are not enlisted and called up are affected. Everyone and everything is affected. Emotions are heightened, relationships are strained, allegiances are intensified.

Olive’s story takes place mainly in 1944 when her family’s ranch is taken over by the US Army. While her mother, uncle, and brother dutifully move into a small casita on the property, Olive is outraged–not only by the apparent apathy of her family, but because she is shuffled off to live with her grandmother sixty miles away.

Jo’s story mostly chronicles her return to the area in 1952. Once God-fearing and optimistic, Life has severely challenged her faith. She’s there to visit her father, Richard–Sargent Hawthorne–once the proud military leader who supervised activity on the Alexander ranch, who now lays dying, silenced by throat cancer.

Back and forth between these two timelines, we see an ebb and flow of friendship, beliefs, family, betrayal and loving sacrifice. The writing is beautiful, the characters are complex, and the story is singularly unique. This is one I will remember for a long time. I highly recommend this novel. It would make a great book club selection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tynedale House Publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Come Down Somewhere is a true winner.

9.5/10 Stars

More on the Trinity Nuclear Test HERE.

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Romance

Six Quick Reviews:

Kristie

The last thing I want to do is give the impression that I enjoy everything I read. Not so. Here are 6 books I’ve read recently–some advanced copies, some not–which made lesser impressions, although I’d still recommend the first three. The ratings are based on Goodread’s 5 star system.

Available now

I actually really liked The Viscount and the Vicar’s Daughter, by Mimi Matthews. It tells of the rakish Tristan St. Claire and destitute lady’s companion, Valentine March. The pacing could’ve been better, but I enjoyed the unlikely bond between the two main characters. It’s worth checking out.

Available June 14, 2022

Scotsman in the Stacks is one of those fun romances for the intellectual girl who dreams of being whisked away by a handsome foreigner. It’s not groundbreaking literature, but it is light and cute with likable characters. A good vacation book.

Available July 12, 2022

The Best is Yet to Come is your typical escapist lit, of which Debbie Macomber is very proficient. It tells the story of dog rescuer Hope Goodwin. She takes on Cade Lincoln at the animal shelter as he does community service after an arrest. Both have their demons, finding friendship and understanding in the other. There is a side story of some high school kids and their nonsense that detracts from the main plot a bit, but it’s still worth reading.

Available now

Goodbye, Orchid is kind of a mess. There’s PG-13 language and the characters’ pride and lack of communication are constant obstacles. It could’ve been so much better. Not worth your time.

Available September 6, 2022

The Bachelor and the Bride was frustrating. I did a lot of skimming during the second half. Too many characters, too convoluted, and not the simple sweetness I had expected. Sadly skippable.

Available June 21, 2022

When It Falls Apart was (mostly) very good. It tells of Brooke Turner, who is picking up the pieces of her father’s life after he becomes aged and more dependent. She moves from Seattle to San Diego, CA and is embraced by the big Italian family who owns her apartment building and the restaurant below. There are wonderful characters and heartwarming dialogue. I knocked off two stars because of a steamy sex scene that seemed like it was from a completely different book. Too bad, because the rest was excellent.

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction

A Spanish Sunrise, by Boo Walker

Kristie

AVAILABLE August 16, 2022

Baxter Shaw is a forty-something widower of eight year old daughter, Mia. His grief after the tragic loss of his wife, Sofia, three years earlier has led him down a spiral of defensiveness and despair. He’s given up any close relationships, given up his creative outlets, and sleepwalks through work. Life has become meaningless and drab. It is seriously affecting Mia. Her schoolwork and social connections are suffering. Baxter already resigned himself to sorrow, but now he’s also a failure as a parent. Still, it is better than what he had as a child, he tells himself.

Then an email from DNA site 23andMe chimes on Baxter’s computer. Years ago he and his late wife submitted their information. Sofia was looking for her birth mother. The email is from Ester Arroyo and she is trying to find the daughter she gave up for adoption in Spain. This is the last thing Baxter needs right now. All of his efforts to move forward feel thwarted. How is he supposed to heal if painful memories keep getting dragged to the surface? Best to leave his old life behind and accept the new reality, right?

The rest of the novel chronicles the pilgrimage of Baxter, Mia, and the Arroyo family. It is beautifully written–a story that illuminated bright yellow within my soul. Yes, yellow. I cannot remember the last time a book resonated on such a personal level.

Author Boo Walker uses imagery with such gifted skill that I could see, hear, smell, and taste everything he described. He breathes a rare sensitivity into the characters plus subtle symbolism for the perceptive reader. And, as someone who suffered a sudden loss, has found relatives on DNA sites, and had the opportunity to meet a branch of my family tree in an enchanted foreign land (Guanajuato, Mexico,) I could relate a lot. But those are not prerequisites.

The author describes himself as a writer of “page turners for soul searchers.” Aren’t all of us searching? Even if you do not have similar experiences, the depth and vibrancy of this book will leave you with an afterglow long after reading the last page.

This is the first ARC to receive a rare 10 Stars on my book review blog. Very well-deserved! Boo Walker’s work will definitely get highlighted more often on this site. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.

10/10 Stars

**Boo Walker also writes thrillers under the pen name “Benjamin Blackmore.” A little more edgy, but still well-written. The 90 page novella Off You Go is a good place to start. All of his books are available for automatic download with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. (A great investment.)

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction

Dreaming of Flight, by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Kristie

AVAILABLE May 3, 2022

A beautiful novel about the unlikely friendship between 11 year old Stewie and his older neighbor, Marilyn. He’s wise, polite, extremely literal, and sensitive to a fault. She’s defensive, lonely, emotionally exhausted, and embittered. Yet, they fill a void in each other and behave as equals.

It is unusual and always welcome to find a set of characters like these–a child and an adult who are not related, taking on the world together. There are lessons to be learned no matter the age of a person. There are great examples of the difference between talking TO a child and talking AT a child. The relationship that can develop when a child is respected instead of commanded is quite remarkable. (My favorite author, Roald Dahl, is an expert at this in his books.)

The supporting characters are also terrific in their development, especially Stewie’s nurturing older sister, Stacey, and optimistic brother, Theo. This story is a reminder that the definition of “family” can extend beyond blood relatives and that true loved ones are those who care, listen and are interested in our welfare.

I look forward to reading more books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced copy.

9/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, by Alison Espach

Kristie

AVAILABLE May 17, 2022

Sixteen year old Kathy Holt is dead. That’s not a spoiler. It’s reality. It’s the catalyst for everything else that happens in Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance. If we haven’t experienced death of a young relative before, we’ve certainly heard of what it can do to families. Some take years to heal. Some never do, disintegrating into a shadow of their former selves. A slow, self-imposed suicide. Even tough people can crumble.

Narrated by Kathy’s younger sister, Sally, this novel explores a family’s grief over a period of fifteen years. It is like a letter to Kathy–the idolized, outgoing, courageous beacon in the Holt family. And that letter is BRILLIANTLY written. From angst-ridden teenager to confused college student to introspective adult, we follow Sally on her path as she supersedes her late sister in life’s milestones. Or is it mill stone? Because Kathy’s death weighs her down in everything she does. And, like a fateful boomerang, Sally continues to reconnect every few years with Billy, the only other witness of the tragedy. Billy Barnes. Bill. Kathy’s boyfriend.

There’s confusion, guilt, questions. So. Many. Questions. How can everything and everyone around me continue to move forward like nothing has happened? How can I ever be happy again? How can any of us live fully without feeling like we’re betraying the dead relative? Look at all the things she’ll never do.

I’m knocking one star off for language. I get that it’s teenagers. I get that swearing and talking about sex is a way for teens to experiment and sound cool with each other, but there was A LOT. I wasn’t comfortable with it. But Sally’s observations are so bittersweet and sarcastic, so determined in their clever efforts to lighten the load of loss, that I couldn’t help but keep reading. Even with the R-rated language it is one of the most well-written books I’ve read in a very long time. Believe me, a book has to be pretty amazing for me to be that forgiving. It was.

My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company Publishing for the advanced copy.

9/10 Stars (If not for the language, I’d give it a 10.)

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Women's Fiction

The Hotel Nantucket, by Elin Hilderbrand

Kristie

AVAILABLE June 14, 2022

This is the first time I’ve read one of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels and, yes, I get it. I get why this author’s books are everywhere: grocery stores, newsstands, airports, etc. What I do not get is why the cover makes it look like a light little read. This is a meaty ensemble piece with multiple story lines. I picture a cover that’s a version of a Downton Abbey poster, showing the hotel staff and their more memorable guests.

At the center is general manager of the Hotel Nantucket, Lizbet Keaton, who is hired to bring the newly renovated space back to its former glory. We meet staff as she’s interviewing them and guests as they check in. Then there’s the self-appointed conscience of the hotel, Grace Hadley, the 19 year old ghost (or is it 119?) who died in a fire at the hotel back in 1922. She’s protective, nurturing, and mischievous, depending on what she thinks people deserve. She’s a lot of fun as she lurks in places where only a ghost can hide, acting as our eyes, ears, and entertainment.

Everyone has a back story, everyone has an agenda, everyone has a reason to work or stay at the hotel. Although most of the book is from the POV of Lizbet, Ghostly Grace, and sometimes Sweet Edie, there is a hidden narrator who remains unnamed. Despite being a bit long, I couldn’t put this book down. Know that the language and adult situations are at about a PG rating. Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This is a very enjoyable book!

9/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center

Kristie

AVAILABLE July 19, 2022

Throw in a bit of While You Were Sleeping, mixed with Notting Hill, and It Happened One Night…you get The Bodyguard, Katherine Center’s upcoming book and one of the most entertaining reads I’ve had in years.

Hannah Brooks is a petite woman in her twenties who is also a highly-trained protection agent. Her life is at a crossroads when she is assigned to protect Jack Stapleton, movie star and celebrity extraordinaire. He’s resistant, she’s determined. She can also kill you with a napkin.

Despite going off the grid a few years ago after a family tragedy, Jack is still a target. There are rabid fans, a sweater-knitting stalker, and ever-predatory paparazzi. But under those chiseled abs he’s a fairly down-to-earth person seeking normality and connection. At Jack’s request, Hannah must keep her identity a secret from his family, posing as his girlfriend instead.

There is humor, romance, action, tears, and, yes, even depth as Hannah and Jack spend more time getting to know each other in these unusual circumstances. Their banter is equally hilarious as it is heartwarming.

Katherine Center has done it again. This book is the reason I signed up with NetGalley. My thanks to them and to St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy. I loved it.

9.5/10 Stars

ARC (Advanced Reader Copy), Author Spotlight, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Author Spotlight: Jennifer Ryan

Kristie

Jennifer Ryan is known for her tales of bucolic village life in World War II England. She grew up listening to her grandmother’s stories of the time period, longing to write while working as an editor for different publishing houses. After receiving an MA in Fiction from Johns Hopkins University, she wrote her debut novel, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. I enjoyed that book very much in 2019– a personally dramatic year–and it never received a mention on this site. It’s time to fix that, along with introducing you to her upcoming book, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.

The Chilbury Women’s Choir: Told through a series of letters, we learn about the lives of several different women in the village of Chilbury in 1940. The war is raging and the vicar has decided to close the choir until the men return. The ladies take it upon themselves to establish a ladies’ choir (shock and horror) in their absence.

The characters who write the letters have very different personalities, a true testament that perception is everything. There is service, there is gossip, and there are lessons learned. I read and listened to this book. The audio book was especially enjoyable because of the multiple narrators. 9/10 Stars

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, Available May 31, 2022: This book is a treat from start to finish. I loved it. Cressida Westcott is a renowned London fashion designer whose home and studio are destroyed in the Blitz. She finds refuge in her family’s manor where her niece, Violet, and nephew, Hugh, now live. Violet is thrilled to meet her famous aunt and invites her to the local village sewing circle. The newest project is to mend and update Grace Carlisle’s mother’s wedding dress. Rationing has made it impossible to get materials for a new dress and Grace, the vicar’s daughter, is engaged to be married. We cycle through the lives of Cressida, Violet, and Grace, whose stories become more entwined as time goes on.

This book is very special. I loved all the characters, their individual journeys, and–yes–the positive effects the war has on their lives. Each of them experienced their share of losses before the story begins and a few bumps after, but the majority of the novel is about their separate epiphanies and realizations about what is really important. People are humbled, they learn more about themselves, the British class system is called into question, and the American soldiers even make an appearance. Highly, highly recommended. 9.5/10 Stars