Told with sensitivity and compassion, Emma’s Hero gives the reader a glimpse into the life of one mother and child facing a devastating prognosis. Emma finds out how strong she can truly be. As fragile as the infant Theo’s life is, his existence makes a huge impact, touching the lives of paramedic Ben, and teenager Mason, changing their lives forever.
In the early days of caring for her medically complicated newborn, Emma Reynolds faces additional challenges in the form of grief for her father, unwelcome reminders of the past, and a wicked snowstorm. When each challenge presents itself, Emma adapts and grows in her faith, understanding, and acceptance of God’s ways. Interspersed throughout the novel, the characters of Ben and Mason each have fully developed story lines as well. Emma’s Hero is a multi-layered book with heart.
Readers of inspirational fiction will find much to think about and ponder while reading this novel.
Vivienne Rivard is a successful lacemaker in Paris, with clients among the aristocracy. Until the French revolution forces her to flee for her life. She manages to escape to America where through tragic circumstances, becomes the fill-in caretaker for young Henry, who she suspects may be Louis Charles, the young king.
This was a captivating story. I loved all of the history. I would say it’s more American history than French history. It had plenty of intrigue, danger, complicated interpersonal relationships with numerous characters. I had no idea there had been a town named Asylum where people from the upper classes of French society came to be safe from the revolutionaries.
A bit of a love triangle. Vivienne had a complicated parentage, resulting in some complicated relationship issues she had to deal with. She suffered tragedy, betrayal, and loss, but also found love and support in places she didn’t expect. Lots of human interest and intrigue plus romance.
The subject matter piqued my curiosity and made me want to search for more books about the people who lived through the French revolution.
An entertaining read about a historical time period I should read more about.
Drop your recommendations for fiction set during the French Revolution below, please!
I’m also a writer and a reader of inspirational fiction. (Although I read general market fiction and well and read widely.)
I found this nonfiction book utterly fascinating and liked hearing about the history, the first precursors to novels, how the different influences of societal ideas, religious ideas, and literature have all impacted each other. The first chapter may be a little slow for some readers, but it picked up after that, and because I found the subject interesting it kept me listening. I got the audiobook and felt the narration was well done.
As like many people in the Christian community, I’ve been examining my faith traditions, and books of this sort are helpful when trying to understand how we got to where we are today. I have always enjoyed reading history and trying to puzzle out how different events shaped society.
I would describe this book as somewhat scholarly but accessible. If you like history or are curious about how today’s attitudes and beliefs systems came into being, or if you are interested in learning about and exploring the culture’s effect on literature and vice versa, you might enjoy this book.
I was particularly fascinated by the origin of the novel as story, how the form was influenced, and how the current structure and format of today’s novels came into being.
This multiple POV story skips across time, following the lives of two families. In 1911, Jean works at the singer sewing machine factory. Tensions increase and a strike is about to take place due to the working conditions. Winding bobbins at the factory is part of her job, and she encloses a secret message in the last machine she works on.
Over a hundred years later, the sewing machine ends up with Fred, the message from Jean intact but hidden. Fred discovers the message, along with notebooks containing notes from seamstresses about the sewing work they do for different people.
As I read, it was easy to suspend belief. It had distinctive characters I enjoyed reading about, coupled with family secrets and mysteries kept me turning pages. The characters all had what felt like real struggles, loves, and losses. In this novel, two families’ lives are intertwined, which I found intriguing. I finished in one sitting! I loved the puzzle and had to keep reading to see how everything fit together.The ending came full circle, concluding with a satisfying ending.
Full of fascinating historical tidbits about the Singer sewing machine company and a strike about work conditions in the early 1900s.
Amy Walsh has a character interview up on her blog today, and that’s what prompted me to snag this audiobook and take a break.
Historical
Romance
Mystery
Sleuths
Funny and Clever
Strong Female Character
Art Heist
Italy
What’s not to love? I’ll have to go back and read the earlier books in the series, although I can follow the story quite easily starting with this one. Have you read any of the books in this series?
This was easy-to-read story told in alternating points of view, Mackenzie Graham, graphic designer, and her co-worker, Jeremy Fletcher.The romance evolves from a little workplace competition instigated by their boss.
As the story unfolds, more and more about the character’s motivations to win this work competition for a promotion is revealed. I didn’t know who to root for! Mackenzie’s mother has Alzheimer’s and Jeremy has his own family responsibilities. They both need the promotion.
I appreciated the way that Sarah tackled the issue of social anxiety, showing Mackenzie’s struggle and how she deals with some of the false assumptions that are prevalent in the Christian community about how to handle anxiety.
The supporting characters are introduced in a way that helps to fill in the background and support the characters by helping them grow. Although the cast is large, because they are introduced the way they are, it was not overwhelming. I had no trouble keeping the somewhat large cast sorted.
Both of the main characters were challenged to change and grow in a way that had me pulling for both of them. I wanted to see who would win and how the other person would react, if one of them would sacrifice for the other, and how they would resolve their competition, especially since they were very attracted to each other from the beginning.
I think inspirational fiction readers will love this book.
Contemporary
Relevant
Cute
A friendly enemies to lovers
Mental health
Christmas
Humor balanced with common everyday serious issues (Love these kinds of stories)
“Don’t let fear control you – its guidance leads to destruction. Believe in hope, and it will lead you to freedom.”
Water’s Break by Sophia L. Hansen
A story of hope, perseverance, and survival you don’t want to miss.
You don’t have to be a reader of science fiction or fantasy to feel a connection with Nica’s plight as she faces the challenges and tragedies that come her way.
Below water is their home, and life is good until a great disaster causes destruction of their world and separation of loved ones. Long after others have given up the search, Nica believes she has heard her sister, Rissa’s, song. Nica decides to go above the surface in search of her sister. Here she is captured by a humanoid of the sort she’d never seen before.
As the story unfolds, we find out more and more about what happens to her in this clash of cultures. What are these other humanoids, landwalkers, doing here and what do they want from Nica’s kind?
This was a compelling read for me. As the characters navigated their difficult situation and the perils of trying to survive in such an environment, I was nervous. I wanted to know what was going to happen! Sophia L Hansen kept raising the stakes and made me read well past my bedtime.
Content : Violence against captors such as whipping, confinement, etc.
I feel this would be an excellent work for any teen audience and could spark much interesting discussion about a variety of topics. Well written. Recommended.
I received a free ARC of this book.
Releases January 9th. Available for preorder now.
“How can we hope to overcome our oppressors, when we so readily seek to undercut each other?”
Nora’s parents die during a cholera outbreak when she is very young, and the doctor who comes to see them, too late, takes the child home with him. Dr. Croft and his housekeeper raise the girl. The doctor is of the eccentric sort, and rather than providing Nora with a traditional upbringing, he trains her as his assistant. By the time she is a young woman, Nora clearly has a gift for surgery. However, the times do not allow any place for a female doctor. All the same, Nora secretly assists Dr. Croft. Until Dr. Daniel Gibson arrives, taking Nora’s place as Dr. Croft’s helper.
This book has a great deal of medical details and descriptions, and shows the authors’ research, but in an interesting way.
A hint of romance. Book one of a series.
Five stars All Around Gen Market Clean Strong female character British Historical Woman Ahead of Her Time GREAT READ Read in One Day
Content warning for those squeamish about detailed medical descriptions.
I’ve liked every one of Allison Ptittman’s historicals that I’ve read. All For a Song was a very compelling read. I felt all the emotions and felt immediately connected to Dorothy Lynn Dunbar, the main character, and her voice. She had a very clear dilemma and struggle, a choice between two things that could be good, and trying to discern God‘s will for her life. Dorothy was faced with two contrasting lifestyles to choose between. I like dilemmas of this sort, where the choice isn’t crystal clear. It reflects how real life is.
One of the supporting characters is based on Amiee Semple McPherson was the founder of the Foursquare church. This historical figure is a complicated character and is portrayed in a very sensitive way. The issues and personalities that often surround the ministry felt as if they were portrayed realistically to me. I appreciate how Allison isn’t afraid to tackle American religion and its history.
A solid story with interesting characters, fascinating historical backdrop and a strong message. Thought-provoking.
Since it’s October, my thoughts turned to scary reads.
The scariest book I ever read was the classic The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb and originally published in 1953. This National Book Finalist is a southern gothic, set in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression. Ten-year-old John holds a secret his father, Ben Harper, trusts him with before the blue men (police) take Ben away. Ben has stolen $10,000 and murdered two people in the commission of his crime, but where is the money? Only John knows.
Harry Powell (Preacher) shows up, gaining the trust of Willa, John’s mother. In these difficult times, he seems a person Wlla can trust, but John has an instant dislike and fear of Preacher.
I first read this book when I was in my early teens. This is one that definitely gives you the shivers. I never forgot the key elements of the story. It’s atmospheric and immersive. I never saw the movie, although the movie firmly placed the love/hate tattoo that Preacher had into our culture. It has a fairy tale (Grimm’s) quality. It’s dark and gritty.
Did you know that this novel was based on an actual serial killer?
I didn’t.
I don’t write thrillers, but because this book stuck in my mind and made such an impact on me, it’s one of the stories I tried to dissect, asking myself why did this particular story resonate so deeply? What made it so successful and memorable? I decided if I figured those things out, I could probably learn some lessons that would apply to any type of novel or story writing.
Conflict and Mystery
The mystery was immediately established and the characters were put in imminent danger.
Danger
I think one of the main things that captured me were the vulnerable characters. I was immediately sympathetic, and the danger involving children gave me something to worry about that wouldn’t let me go. I was invested.
Easy to Understand, Yet Complicated Characters
There are clear motivations for almost every character that appears on the page. The author understands his characters intimately. These are complicated people. Weak or vulnerable characters are also strong. The characters are complicated. Willa, who should be protecting her children, is easily overcome and doesn’t fight back. The story has many contrasts, and Preacher’s hate/love tattoo is brilliant.
There’s a rich and detailed setting. The strong imagery and visuals encapsulate the theme and conflict. I’ve heard it said that description slows down a story, but this is how to use description to build tension. It’s not what you tell, but how you tell it.
Universal Theme that is Scary
The possibility of the corruption of religion. Greed. Strength in weakness.
I’m sure there are many other writing lessons that could be drawn from this classic novel (and subsequent movie). People a lot smarter than I am have written about this Gothic thriller!
(I was listening to this read, so hope I am quoting correctly, but doesn’t this just get you in the heart?) “Lord save little children! Because with every child ever born of woman’s womb there is a time of running through a shadowed place, an alley with no doors, and a hunter whose footsteps ring brightly along the bricks behind them.
With every child, rich or poor, however favored, however warm and safe the nursery, there is this time of echoing and vast aloneness, when there is no one to come nor to hear. And dry leaves scurrying past along a street become the rustle of dread and the ticking of the old house is the cocking of the hunter’s gun. For even when the older ones love and care and are troubled for the small ones, there is little they can do as they look into the grave with stricken eyes that are windows to this affrighted nursery province beyond all succor all comforting. To Rachael, the most dreadful and moving thing of all, was the humbling grace with which these small ones accept their lot. Lord save little children!”
Donna Jo Stone 