Showing posts with label Contemporary. Show all posts

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Audiobook Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold

Aidyn Kelley is talented, ambitious, and ready for a more serious assignment than the fluff pieces she’s been getting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Star. In her eagerness, she pushes too hard, earning herself the menial task of writing an obituary for an unremarkable woman who’s just entered hospice care. But there’s more to Clara Kip than meets the eye. The spirited septuagenarian may be dying, but she’s not quite ready to cash it in yet. Never one to shy away from an assignment herself, she can see that God brought the young reporter into her life for a reason. And if it’s a story Aidyn Kelley wants, that’s just what Mrs. Kip will give her—but she’s going to have to work for it.

Having just finished this story a mere fifteen minutes ago, you'll forgive me the tears still pooling in my eyes. I know I'm a little late to the game on reading this one... it released in 2022 for goodness' sake, but oh, I've read it now, and it has skyrocketed to the top of my favorites list. I didn't know how much I needed a book like this. Not a romance. Not a suspense. Not any of the boxes I normally tick. Just connection across the generations. Getting to know Mrs. Kip has been such a moving experience. I can't properly put into words what it means to me... The biggest impression right now is that I am struggling to remind myself it was a novel, not a true biography. I feel that Mrs. Kip really lived and that I had just the briefest glance into her life and the blessing she was to others. How refreshing to read a book that deals so deftly with the dignity of the aged and dying, with the work that God still has for people who will be in heaven in days or hours. If I could bust out a sixth star on these ratings, now would be the time. Side note, the narrator on the audiobook was absolute perfection. Her voices and cadence captured the story as very few could.

Now, as I was accidentally MIA for a while (Oops... sorry, friends!) and possible missed the anniversary of the blog on March 17th (eek!), I have decided to do a giveaway now through April 15th. The winner will receive a paperback copy of The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip. Enter through the rafflecopter link below the picture.

Rafflecopter Link to Giveaway

Friday, January 19, 2024

Audiobook Review: Authentically Izzy by Pepper Basham

Izzy Edgewood is a wannabe bookstore owner, quote queen, and Lord of the Rings nerd who has been waiting for Prince Charming to sweep her off her sneakered feet. But it’s hard to meet people when you spend more time with fictional humans than real ones. Which is why her pragmatist cousin Josephine decides to take Izzy’s future into her own meddling hands and create an online dating profile for the hopeful romantic.

To Izzy’s shock (and suspicion), Josie’s plan works. Soon, she’s dialoguing with a Hobbit-loving man named Brodie who lives in a small town an ocean away from her home in the Blue Ridge Mountains. But is their shared love of books, family, and correspondence enough to overcome Izzy’s fear of flying and the literal distance between them? And is a long-distance relationship even worth considering when a local author has been frequenting the library where she works and is proving to be a perfectly fine gentleman?

I had only ever read Pepper's historical fiction, but when I saw that my reading challenge for the month was to read something from my state, well, I knew she was the only one who could give me the NC fix I needed! (Side note for Izzy, though, the Winston-Salem mall, really? Of all the malls?) Authentically Izzy is the perfect epistolary rom-com book I didn't know I needed. Poor Izzy, I identify with her so well. The bookish sort who finds social interactions mildly stressful unless the topic happens to be books- yep, that's me! (Although, Penelope does have my love for Julie Andrews... but I digress.) When I found the audiobook for this, I was delighted. And then, to discover it was dual narrated? Be still my heart! Watching Izzy and Brody's romance unfurl almost made me want to sign myself up for Heart2Heart, lol! And Luke! I am dying for Luke's book to come out! It's already on preorder. What a wonderful family, those Edgewoods! If you're looking for a great book to snuggle up with while waiting for the plows to clear the roads, and if you love obscure references to Andy Griffith episodes that you lowkey have memorized... May I suggest Authentically Izzy?

Monday, June 19, 2023

Review: Crossfire by Lynette Eason

FBI special agent Julianna James is a top-notch negotiator who has never lost a hostage. Surely she can manage to take care of her much younger sister, Dottie, who showed up unannounced to live with Julianna while she finished her senior year of high school.

A former sniper with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Clay Snyder left the army after a tragic incident that he can't get past. Now he's working as a high school resource officer until he can figure out what to do with the rest of his life.

Their paths cross when Julianna is called in to negotiate a courtroom hostage situation involving Clay's sister. Impressed and a bit intimidated by the calm, capable woman with the dark hair and blue eyes, Clay invites her to speak at his school. Dottie's school.

But as the anniversary of a school shooting from Julianna's past approaches, it becomes clear that her perfect record is about to be tested and that Dottie is at risk. If Julianna and Clay can't figure out who's behind the attacks, more innocent people will die—and Julianna just might be one of them.

Oh my, it has been a while since I have written a review for a suspense novel. I recently got a ton of books on Audible, including Lynette Eason's Crossfire. I was intrigued from the get-go by the description. Hostage negotiation is such a God-given talent, and I wanted to know more about Julianna's relationship with her sister. I enjoyed getting to know the characters throughout the story, and the suspense level was through the roof. It was one of the few that I have not been able to guess the bad guy. I thought the layers and the foreshadowing were excellently done. I will say that as a teacher, it was a bit horrifying to be reading about school shooting/hostage situations, just because it is unfortunately so real for us now, but I totally respect the way that the author approached the entire situation and the different types of people you will find in a school. It was very realistic to me, and definitely worth the read! The narrator also did a great job, although sometimes I think the sentences didn't quite flow the way they would if I were reading with my eyes instead of listening. Overall, a great experience!

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Review: The Italian Ballerina by Kristy Cambron

At the height of the Nazi occupation of Rome, an unlikely band of heroes comes together to save innocent lives in this breathtaking World War II novel based on real historical events.

Rome, 1943. With the fall of Italy’s Fascist government and the Nazi regime occupying the streets of Rome, British ballerina Julia Bradbury is stranded and forced to take refuge at a hospital on Tiber Island. But when she learns of a deadly sickness sweeping through the quarantine wards—a fake disease known only as Syndrome K—she is drawn into one of the greatest cons in history. Alongside hospital staff, friars of the adjoining church, and two Allied medics, Julia risks everything to rescue Jewish Italians from the deadly clutches of the Holocaust. Soon a little girl who dreams of becoming a ballerina arrives at their door, and Julia is determined to reunite the young dancer with her family—if only she would reveal one crucial secret: her name.

Present Day. Delaney Coleman recently lost her grandfather—a beloved small-town doctor and World War II veteran, so she returns home to help her aging parents. When a mysterious Italian woman reaches out claiming to own one of the family’s precious heirlooms, Delaney is compelled to travel to Italy and uncover the truth of her grandfather’s hidden past. With the help of the woman’s skeptical but charming grandson, Delaney learns of a Roman hospital that saved hundreds of Jewish people during the war. Soon, everything Delaney thought she knew about her grandfather comes into question.

I'll be honest, it has been so long since I read anything by this author, but I've always kept her name in the back of my head as a word artist. In fact, I think the exact term I have her filed under is "magician." I saw this gorgeous cover at the store and just had to have it. Turns out, best decision ever! In split timelines, it can be easy to care for one time over the other, but from the very beginning I was invested in every single piece of this story. It was woven together in the most magical way possible. I stayed up late until I just couldn't keep my eyes focused because I wanted to know what was happening. I carried it with me everywhere, even when I knew I didn't have time to read. The characters were so important to me, and I loved them all dearly. The suspense had me fully immersed in the world, and the back and forth with the timeline kept me oh so engaged. I cried. I laughed. I made loud noises in silent rooms. I raged over things I can't mention because it'll be spoilers. This story captured me from the very beginning and wouldn't let go even after it was concluded. I wanted it to keep going on and on forever. I went into some serious book hangover when it was finished. What a fresh perspective on WW2!

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Review: The Premonition at Withers Farm by Jaime Jo Wright

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

In the present day, Molly Wasziak's life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of deception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?

This book is the perfect fall vibe! It has corn, it has spooks, it has a bunch of weird stuff that makes it hard to sleep at night. I mean, it's got it all. At first, I was a little suspicious of where we were going with the spiritism and all that jazz, but she NAILED it and the ending was superb. As always with a dual timeline, I started off enjoying the past story best, but by the end was totally into the contemporary storyline. The two tangled together in a way I did not see coming, and, as per usual with Jaime Jo Wright, I had absolutely no clue who was the bad guy until the end of the story. I am so good at guessing antagonists in suspense (I'm pretty sure I have at least a silver medal in the sport) but she gets me every time. There were even a couple other plot twists that I did not see coming but that I cannot speak of because it will be a spoiler, but they got me good. Perliett was a fun character to follow around and her annoyance with George was hilarious. Molly is such a touching, heart-breaking character that you'll just love to know.

Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is still my all-time top favorite book by her, but if you don't mind spooky vibes, you should grab a copy of Premonition and try to solve the murders.

Have you read it? Comment below and let me know if you caught the villains?

I was a part of Jaime Jo's launch team and received a free copy of the book. However, all opinions are my own.

Link to Order

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Review: In Search of a Prince by Toni Shiloh

It seems like a dream come true . . . until it forces her to question everything.

Brielle Adebayo is fully content teaching at a New York City public school and taking annual summer vacations with her mother to Martha’s Vineyard. But everything changes when her mom drops a bombshell–Brielle is really a princess in the island kingdom of Ọlọrọ Ilé, off the coast of Africa, and she must immediately assume her royal position, since the health of her grandfather, the king, is failing.

Distraught by all the secrets her mother kept, Brielle is further left spinning when the Ọlọrọ Ilé Royal Council brings up an old edict that states she must marry before her coronation, or the crown will pass to another. Brielle is uncertain if she even wants the throne, and with her world totally shaken, where will she find the courage to take a chance on love and brave the perils a wrong decision may bring?

Toni is a new-to-me author. I'd heard of her for years, but never got around to reading her work. Boy, am I glad this was my first. I'm not really into the fantasy kingdom in the real world contemporary stories, but I started this book last night and finished it today. It's been a while since I've read a book in just one POV and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It really helped to get me into the story, and while at first I was distracted by too many details, I was all in before too long. I think this book did such an awesome job of sharing culture and adventure and God's peace. There were a few heavy on the romance portions, but overall, I enjoyed reading this princess book, and now I think I need to go ask my parents some questions just in case there's some hidden royalty in my family tree. If you're looking for a sweet romance with a hint of whodunit, a best friend who's absolutely over the top, the sweetest grandpa ever, and some awesome Princess Diaries vibes, go for it.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley but all opinions are my own.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Review: The Cost of Betrayal~ Henderson, Pettrey, and Eason

Another post I dragged up from my archived drafts. Enjoy my weirdly old writing style. I hope to pop out a few new reviews soon, but just now my brain is already on overload!

I hope you'll forgive me for skipping the blurb... there being three of them for this book.

Is it really fair to review this as one? I mean... they are all in the same book, but there are three separate entities going on here. Here I go anyway though...

I'm giving this set overall 4 stars.

This was the first story by Dee Henderson that I'd ever read, though I know several people who are avid fans. I enjoyed the whole novella that started this collection. The characters were strong and there was a doggy for goodness sake! The suspense was great, and my inability to beat the ending to solve the case was annoying. Not...however... as annoying as having a (what I assume to be actually realistic) ending like that... which is to say, it wasn't a proper ending at all. If you like to have your mystery solved definitely, then I suggest you skip this one, "or wonder till it drives you mad" I suppose. Dani's novella excited me (having recently finished Dead Drift, I was "in the mood", you know) and it was suspenseful, and guessing the bad guy was really impossible. Unfortunately, it wasn't my favorite of her stories. Don't get me wrong! The farther in I was, the more I liked it. I suppose I'm just used to her series books. And last, but furthest from least, Lynette's story about Ruthie St. John, which, I'll admit, was the whole reason I bought this book. I couldn't stand by and lose a story right in the middle of a series, could I? Of course, having already had a background on the characters and the story, I think, made it easier for this to be my favorite. I was excited to see a glimpse of the police Chief, and to see more of the brothers and sisters that had already wormed their way into my heart.

Truly, I do recommend this set. I know it sounds like I said a lot of negative things, but the chills up my spine weren't imaginary! (Although, I'm sure they were caused by an overactive imagination!) A nice set of mysteries that are easy reads by three incredible authors. I'm excited for this to grace my shelves! (I've a nice place for it right between Code of Valor (Eason) and Blind Spot (Pettrey)!)

Saturday, July 3, 2021

CelebrateLit Tour: Review: Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse

Repairs on the Golden Gate Bridge Uncover a Century-Old Murder

Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Underwater archaeologist Kayla Richardson is called to the Golden Gate Bridge where repairs to one of the towers uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s. The head of the bridge restoration is Steven Michaels, who dives with Kayla, and a friendship develops between them. But as the investigation heats up and gold is found that dates back to the gold rush, more complications come into play that threaten them both. Could clues leading to a Gold Rush era mystery that was first discovered during the building of the bridge still ignite an obsession worth killing for?

Guys guys guys. I love this book. I was a little nervous going in, because my mood lately has been hit and miss on those dual timeline books, but after only a few chapters, I was in. Of course, I shouldn't be surprised. I've loved Kim's historical books as well as her contemporary suspense novels. I expected to be more involved in the historical timeline, since that's my usual take on these time slip novels, but I was actually loving the modern day most! I found the humorous approach exactly what I needed for my stress relief, and I found that some of the struggles Kayla was going through helped me understand some of my own issues. My one complaint was that the book was so short. I wanted it to last longer. I wanted a chance to get more attached to the characters. I also felt that the ending just happened so quickly that I couldn't really catch my breath. But I absolutely would recommend reading it, and even put my copy in the living room of the dorm hoping that the other girls will pick it up and read it during their free time.

While I did receive a free copy of this book, as always these are my own honest thoughts and opinions.

Click here to get your copy!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.
You can connect with Kimberley at: www.kimberleywoodhouse.com and www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor

More from Kimberley

BRIDGE OF GOLD was a blast for me to write. Not only do I love writing dual-timeline stories, but the present-day hero and heroine are named after my daughter and her husband. Steven and Kayla in the book are fictitious, but there are a few things in the book that do mimic their real-life namesakes.

One of them is food.

My son-in-law Steven in real life is six-foot-four and active military. The man can eat. It’s amazing to me how many calories it takes just for him to survive! Then there’s my daughter, Kayla. She was an elite swimmer for many years along with her brother. I could never keep them fed when they were at the height of their swimming careers. In fact, I joked that all I did was cook and load the dishwasher during those years.

To celebrate the release of BRIDGE OF GOLD, I’m going to give out a recipe that I created almost thirty years ago. It went through many revisions the first few months as I perfected it and now you get a special treat because I do not give this recipe out. In fact, one of my dearest friends begged for it when our kids were little. I gave in but made her promise to close her eyes while she made it (LOL) and to never, ever give it to anyone else.

Enjoy! And thanks for joining us on the tour for BRIDGE OF GOLD. I hope you love it.

Kim’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies – recipe by Kimberley Woodhouse

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup melted/browned butter (this is important! Don’t skip this step)

2 Tb. Hot chocolate mix

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 – 12 ounce package mega morsels (I use Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)

Directions: combine the first three dry ingredients and mix well. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt and brown the butter. Medium heat is recommended but you’ve got to watch it so it doesn’t burn. You want a beautiful caramel color. Set aside and allow to cool to around 100 degrees F before continuing. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Once the browned butter is cool, add the hot chocolate mix to it. Transfer to a stand mixer and blend the butter mixture with the sugar. Whip it until well combined and frothy about 2 mins. Gradually add eggs and flour mixture, beating on low just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, drop heaping TB scoops 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes, watching carefully. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy!

For other fun tidbits about BRIDGE OF GOLD make sure you check out my blog at – kimberleywoodhouse.com

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kimberley is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10e03/bridge-of-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 24

The Sacred Line, June 24

The Write Escape, June 24

lakesidelivingsite, June 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25

HappyWhenReading, June 25

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 25

Through the Fire Blogs, June 25

Texas Book-aholic, June 26

Bigreadersite, June 26

Pause for Tales, June 26

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 26 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, June 27

Christian Bookaholic , June 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 27

For the Love of Literature, June 28

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, June 28

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 28

Where Faith and Books Meet, June 28

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 29

Bliss Books and Jewels, June 29

Lis Loves Reading, June 29

For Him and My Family, June 29

deb’s Book Review, June 30

Simple Harvest Reads, June 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Livin’ Lit, June 30

Remembrancy, June 30

Older & Smarter?, July 1

Lighthouse-Academy, July 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 1

Genesis 5020, July 1

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 2

Betti Mace, July 2

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 3

Inspiration Clothesline, July 3

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, July 3

Live.Love.Read., July 3 (YOU ARE HERE)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4

Mamma Loves Books, July 4

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 4

Mary Hake, July 4

Blossoms and Blessings, July 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 5

Blogging With Carol, July 5

Connie’s History Classroom, July 6

Life of Literature, July 6

A Baker’s Perspective, July 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 7

To Everything There Is A Season , July 7

KarenSueHadley, July 7

Splashes of Joy, July 7

Monday, June 7, 2021

Review: The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright

1928
The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the "Watchman," she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa's search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.

Present Day
The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk's shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot's history, she's also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend.

This is the first of Jaime's books that I had ever read, and let me tell you, I was HOOKED! I can't believe she got me so quickly with the dual timeline, because I'm usually a little slow to hop into those, but she did it. I enjoyed the suspense immensely. I mean, it was killing me! I read a lot of mysteries, but honestly, I've gotten really good at figuring out the bad guy. I was shocked to find that I did not guess either of the bad guys or any of the major plot twists! Now that's a mystery! There were a few things that were strange to me, such as the slight obsession with ghosts, but overall, it was a very pleasant reading experience and I have added all of her stories to my increasingly tall TBR stack which is now threatening to become unstable and crash onto me in the middle of the night. (Can't believe it took me so many months to find time to write this review!)

Friday, May 7, 2021

CelebrateLit Tour: Review: Hope Between The Pages by Pepper Basham

IT'S GRADUATION DAY!!!! But also it's my day to post for the tour, so I hope you enjoy!🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓🎓

Uncover the Story Behind a One-Hundred-Year-Old Love Letter

Visit historic American landmarks through the Doors to the Past series. History and today collide in stories full of mystery, intrigue, faith, and romance.

Clara Blackwell helps her mother manage a struggling one-hundred-year old family bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina, but the discovery of a forgotten letter opens a mystery of a long-lost romance and undiscovered inheritance which could save its future. Forced to step outside of her predictable world, Clara embarks on an adventure with only the name Oliver as a hint of the man’s identity in her great-great-grandmother’s letter. From the nearby grand estate of the Vanderbilts, to a hamlet in Derbyshire, England, Clara seeks to uncover truth about family and love that may lead to her own unexpected romance.

I have been murdered by this book. I did not see that coming. It took me forever to get invested in this story, which is very unusual. Okay, that is only half true. I was very invested in the historical section. The modern section took me almost half the book to be interested in. I just didn't want to leave Sadie behind. I absolutely adore Pepper's books for mostly one reason: They make me feel like I'm in my mountains again, and I love that Blue Ridge feel. And she even added Biltmore to this book, which of course makes it all the better. We used to go to Biltmore a lot and so every room she was describing had some sort of picture in my head. Reading about places that you know really helps with the whole hallucination thing. <small jest> I'm just gonna say, y'all, I'd be down with marrying Oliver myself. Or Max, if it came down to it. Isn't it every girl's dream to find a man who's equally obsessed with books as she is? I will say that the conflict is more circumstance driven than villain driven, most of the time, and I kind of liked not having a bad guy in my face the whole time. And after I was fully invested in the story, I couldn't put it down. By the end, my emotions were wrapped in a little ball of OH MY GOODNESS. And can we take a minute and appreciate the WWI setting instead of WWII? I think I can really recommend this one, even with my initial disinterest. (Part of the problem is also that I've been reading a lot of fairytales recently, so I had to switch my mood back to real world fiction and I wasn't ready.)

Though I was provided a free copy of this book, you know it's my honestest of honest reviews, per usual.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her historical romance novels, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and The Red Ribbon, and her contemporary novels, the Mitchell’s Crossroads and Pleasant Gap series, showcase her Appalachian heritage, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus.

More from Pepper

Books are a uniquely portable magic – Stephen King

Appalachia is known for having a high illiteracy rate. A place of beautiful scenery and rugged landscapes, the people of the mountains developed stories through oral storytelling much more than “book learning”. As a young girl growing up in this world, I loved hearing my granny share tales from up to five generations ago, filling in the narrative gaps between a birth date and a death date on a tombstone – giving flesh and breath to the stone-etched names.

It’s no surprise then, with a heart cultivated from rich oral stories, I fell in love with reading. Books became that “portable magic” that took me places my little Appalachian community couldn’t provide. I fell in love with the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew. Wept through the end of Bridge to Terabithia and Old Yeller. Traveled to the plains with Sarah Plain and Tall and fell in love with horses with The Black Stallion. But when I was in seventh grade, I read my very first “British” novel, The Secret Garden. In that one introduction, my world expanded into mysterious English manor houses and British classics. Before long, I’d consumed Jane Eyre, Austen’s classics, some Dickens, Dracula, Frankenstein…and the list goes on! And then…I found Tolkien and Lewis – and the ‘real’ world swelled into OTHER worlds.

I’m grateful for true stories of book-loving pioneers traveling into the world of Appalachia to provide books and literacy training to “my people”, because I know some of those books made their way to my tiny elementary school library…and not only brought me the chance to discover stories, but to write them too!

Isn’t it amazing how books can do that?

In Hope Between the Pages, I wanted to bring the same awe and discovery I felt as a child (and continue to feel as an adult reader) to the story of two people whose words had seemed small. Stories stretched their worlds, but the stories also gave them wonderful imaginations and positive perspectives. It’s still amazing to me that ink-and-paper words can make such a lasting impact on hearts and minds. They can lead us to dream, teach us new things, encourage our hearts, help us to think outside the box, swell our imaginations, broaden our horizons, and encourage our hope.

Books are not a replacement for real adventures and relationships, but they certainly provide a beautiful “door” into other lives and worlds that we may never have a chance to experience in real life. Sadie, my historical heroine, and Clara, my contemporary heroine, both have kept close to home but traveled greatly through books…and BOTH are given the opportunity to reach beyond the bindings to discover real-life adventures. I’d like to think that their love for stories helped them have the courage to step away from the page and into their own tales even more prepared than they would have been without stories.

What are some of your favorite books you read as a child? Did any of them influence you to become a more avid reader?