The Moonlight School by Suzanne Woods Fisher

MY REVIEW:

As an avid reader I cannot begin to imagine going through life unable to read. It was a foreign concept to Lucy Wilson also until she traveled to Rowan County, Kentucky to work for her father’s cousin Cora Wilson Stewart, the first woman superintendent of education in that area. As a city girl who had been provided with everything she needed, Lucy’s first encounter with the impoverished mountain people was a rude awakening. Everything and everyone she encountered was alien to her previous experience.

With the eager help of Finn, the more reluctant help of Angie, and the quiet wisdom of Brother Wyatt, Lucy gradually became adjusted to the area and even grew comfortable with the horse she rode to visit the scattered inhabitants of the mountain. She grew to love many of the mountain people and felt increasingly burdened to help them.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the customs of the mountain people and particularly found interesting the mention of using shaped notes to teach music to those who could not read. One of my own ancestors, Mennonite Bishop Joseph Funk was instrumental in the use of shaped notes and wrote an extensive book about their use that is still in use today. How I wish I could have been in Lucy’s shoes the first time she experienced a singing.

The Moonlight School is a beautiful story with vivid descriptions of the land and people of early 1900 hill country of Kentucky. While based on the true story of Cora Wilson Stewart, this book is a fictional account that features Lucy and Wyatt. A bit of mystery and a sweet romance round the story out to make a thoroughly satisfying read. There is much more to discover than I have described so I would recommend picking up a copy for yourself as soon as possible. I don’t think you will regret it.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Haunted by personal tragedy, Lucy Wilson arrives in Rowan County, Kentucky, in the spring of 1911 to assist her cousin, Cora Wilson Stewart, superintendent of schools. A fish out of water, Lucy is appalled by the primitive conditions and intellectual poverty she encounters.

Born in those very hills, Cora knows the twin plagues of illiteracy and poverty. So does Brother Wyatt, a singing school master who travels through the hills. Involving Lucy and Wyatt, Cora hatches a plan to open the schoolhouses to adults on moonlit nights. The best way to combat poverty, she believes, is to eliminate illiteracy. But will the people come?

As Lucy emerges from a life in the shadows, she finds purpose, along with something else she hadn’t expected: love.

Inspired by true events, this novel from bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher brings to life the story that shocked the nation into taking adult literacy seriously.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 30 books, including The Moonlight School and the Three Sisters Island, Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop’s Family, The Deacon’s Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.

The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudon Thomas



MY REVIEW:

The Right Kind of Fool was another wonderful Appalachian tale penned by the talented Sarah Loudin Thomas. Vivid descriptions of the book’s setting blended with compelling characters and situations held me captive until the very end. A narrative of a summer in a broken family’s life, the story was a beautiful example of strength and bravery, love and reconciliation, faith and the power of the human spirit to overcome overwhelming obstacles.

Loyal Raines could not have been given a more appropriate name. He embodied the meaning of his name and more with his unquenchable determination to be “normal” despite his handicap. I loved how he did not allow his deafness to hinder him and how his brave actions brought his over-protective mother and his guilt-ridden father back together to provide Loyal the family he had always wanted.

Skillfully written with a steady plot that includes a suspenseful mystery set among the mountains of Appalachia, The Right Kind of Fool is a novel that will stay in my memory for quite awhile. I have enjoyed all the other books by this author but this one is special. I hope other readers will enjoy it as much as I did.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required.All views expressed are my own.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Thirteen-year-old Loyal Raines is supposed to stay close to home on a hot summer day in 1934. When he slips away for a quick swim in the river and finds a dead body, he wishes he’d obeyed his mother. Desperate for help, he runs to the mountain cabin of his mostly absentee father, frantically trying to communicate the news with his hands.

Driven away by fear and guilt over his son’s deafness, Creed has played a distant part in Loyal’s life and language. But when he’s pulled into the murder investigation, he discovers that what sets his son apart isn’t his inability to hear but rather his courage. As the impact of the murder ripples through their West Virginia town, both will learn what it took to kill a man and what it takes to become one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Loudin Thomas (www.sarahloudinthomas.com) is a fund-raiser for a children’s ministry and the author of the acclaimed novels The Sound of Rain and Miracle in a Dry Season–winner of the 2015 INSPY Award. Sarah has also been a finalist for the Christy Award, the ACFW Carol Award, and the Christian Book of the Year Award. She and her husband live near Asheville, North Carolina.

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow by Kim Vogel Sawyer



MY REVIEW:

The Librarian of Boone’s Hollow takes readers back in time during the days of the depression to Boone’s Hollow, a mining town in the hills of Kentucky. Addie Cowherd’s family has experienced financial difficulties that have forced her to leave her college classes as well as her beloved part-time job in the library. She has no choice but to find a full-time job but the only one available requires her to move to Boone’s Hollow to work for the horseback library delivery there. As a city girl, Addie finds life in the hills to be more difficult than she expected and learns more than she ever wanted to know about rivalries and feuds among the hill people. Only her determination and the Lord could help her succeed.

Emmett Tharp is the first resident of Boone’s Hollow to graduate from college but a degree has not been enough to secure him a job during such hard times. He is forced to return home, certain someone will have a job for him but only a job working underground for the mining company is available. Naturally Emmett and Addie crossed paths at some point and worked together to make the library system a success despite subtle attempts to sabotage their friendship and even more blatant attacks when those did not succeed.

Strong and lifelike characters populate the pages of this story. Not only are Emmett and Addie well-developed but other characters also come to life. I appreciated the way one particular unlovable and sometimes vindictive character was portrayed in a way that offered understanding and sympathy for the reason she acted the way she did. This wonderful tale presents a strong  story of forgiveness and illustrates how showing the love of Christ can bring a divided community together.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

A traveling librarian ventures into the mining towns of Kentucky on horseback—and learns to trust the One who truly pens her story—in this powerful novel from the best-selling author of A Silken Thread.
 
During the Great Depression, city-dweller Addie Cowherd dreams of becoming a novelist and offering readers the escape that books had given her during her tragic childhood. When her father loses his job, she is forced to take the only employment she can find—delivering books on horseback to poor coal-mining families in the hills of Kentucky.
 
But turning a new page will be nearly impossible in Boone’s Hollow, where residents are steeped in superstitions and deeply suspicious of outsiders. Even local Emmett Tharp feels the sting of rejection after returning to the tiny mountain hamlet as the first in his family to graduate college. And as the crippled economy leaves many men jobless, he fears his degree won’t be worth much in a place where most men either work the coal mine or run moonshine.
 
As Addie also struggles to find her place, she’ll unearth the truth about a decades-old rivalry. But when someone sets out to sabotage the town’s library program, will the culprit chase Addie away or straight into the arms of the only person who can help her put a broken community back together?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is a highly acclaimed, bestselling author with more than one million books in print in several different languages. Her titles have earned numerous accolades, including the ACFW Carol Award, the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.

Kim lives with her retired military husband, Don, in central Kansas, where she continues to write gentle stories of hope. She enjoys spending time with her three daughters and her grandchildren.

 



Daughters of Northern Shores by Joanne Bischof



MY REVIEW:

Follow-up to Bischof’s Sons of Blackbird Mountain, Daughters of Northern Shores continues the story of the Norgaard family through sickness and health, tragedy and joy, and forgiveness and reconciliation. The author has a special touch that makes her characters come to life on the pages of her books. While I might not like everything that happens within those pages, those very things are what makes her books both realistic and believable because life just seems to happen that way.

Once again Aven and Thor hold primary roles and experience more than their share of hardship yet are somehow able to hold on to their hope and joy. Haakon too plays a prominent role as he returns home after four years, hoping to make amends with the family he wronged. The feud with the evil Sorrels family once again raises its ugly head with vengeance and forces the Norgaards to fight for their very existence.

Vivid imagery brings the reader into the center of the action where they witness first hand an epic battle between good and evil. Readers will want to keep a box of tissues handy for at least two events – one in which a character lays down his life in a valiant attempt to do what is right and the other in which another character lays down his own agenda and turns his life over to the Lord.

Daughters of Northern Shores is another wonderful novel by the talented Joanne Bischof. I look forward to reading her next novel!

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Book: Daughters of Northern Shores

Author: Joanne Bischof

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: March 12, 2019

Click here to grab your copy!

Aven Norgaard understands courage. Orphaned within an Irish workhouse, then widowed at just nineteen, she voyaged to America where she was wooed and wed by Thor Norgaard, a Deaf man in rural Appalachia. That the Lord saw her along the winding journey and that Aven now carries Thor’s child are blessings beyond measure. Yet while Thor holds her heart, it is his younger brother and rival who haunts her memories. Haakon—whose selfish choices shattered her trust in him.

Having fled the Norgaard orchard after trying to take Aven as his own, Haakon sails on the North Atlantic ice trade, where his soul is plagued with regrets that distance cannot heal. Not even the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s pursued can ease the torment. When the winds bear him home after four years away, Haakon finds the family on the brink of tragedy. A decades-old feud with the neighboring farm has wrenched them into the fiercest confrontation on Blackbird Mountain since the Civil War. Haakon’s cunning and strength hold the power to seal many fates, including Thor’s—which is already imperiled due to a grave illness brought to him at the first prick of warfare.

Now Haakon faces the hardest choice of his life. One that shapes a battlefield where pride must be broken enough to be restored, and where a prodigal son may finally know the healing peace of surrender and the boundless gift of forgiveness. And when it comes to the woman he left behind in Norway, he just might discover that while his heart belongs to a daughter of the north, she’s been awaiting him on shores more distant than the land he’s fighting for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Joanne Bischof is an ACFW Carol Award and ECPA Christy Award-winning author. She writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the heartstrings. She was honored to receive the San Diego Christian Writers Guild Novel of the Year Award in 2014 and in 2015 was named Author of the Year by the Mount Hermon conference. Joanne’s 2016 novel, The Lady and the Lionheart, received an extraordinary 5 Star TOP PICK! from RT Book Reviews, among other critical acclaim. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children. Visit her online at JoanneBischof.com; Facebook: Author, JoanneBischof; Instagram: @JoanneBischof.

MORE FROM JOANNE:

One of the questions I receive most often is “How do you get it all done?” As a single, homeschooling mom, I’ve long-since learned that there would be easier ways to have a day job than being an author, but God has been gracious in providing abundantly in so many areas. Here are four that I am most thankful for as I look back over the last few years, including this season of writing Sons of Blackbird Mountain and Daughters of Northern Shores.

Togetherness

Now, most authors would agree that “togetherness” isn’t exactly conducive to quality writing time – especially when kids are involved! And while I do need quiet focus to be able to work through a scene or chapter, what I’ve been thankful for is the chance to share story and research discoveries with my children. It’s created more unity around the stories. Instead of needing to usher the kids away, isolating them from the novels I’m writing, I’m able to invite them into them. For the Blackbird Mountain series, I walked them through the Pinterest boards, showing them the different characters. Then we did a history unit on Vikings since that’s the Norgaard Family’s background. We had a blast and it helped make “the story that Mom was working on”, something that they were more aware of and interested in. For my current work-in-progress, we just recently finished an all new history unit including visits to a few local museums and stories that the kids wrote on their own!

Patience

I used to want to write, write, write all the time. And often, that’s what I did! Well, I still would love to write as often as I can, but God has been teaching me something oh-so-important: patience. As part of this, I set aside certain parts of the week for writing office hours. These slots of writing time typically occur on Tuesday evenings, and include a few additional 1 ½ hours slots during the week, once homeschooling is done. In this manner, I am able to carve out some quiet writing time while still making sure the kids are having a great and productive day. But for any writer or working mom, we can agree . . . that’s not a lot of time when added up! In God’s wonderful provision, though, He seems to extend much richness to those little snatches of time. They might not be many, but they are mighty! It’s been a prayer of mine for several years now, that by keeping my writing below these other priorities, that God would help me fill in the cracks of time and energy—and He has been so faithful to supply. I still have my moments when I feel frazzled,  especially when deadlines are near, and that’s why I am thankful for this next lesson that God has been teaching me . . .

Communication

The thing about living with a writer, is that you often find them staring at a computer screen. That doesn’t look all that productive, does it? But what we’re doing on the other side of that screen is weaving a story-world of plot, characters, purpose, and heart. Typing words onto the page that we hope will touch lives, digging through old articles for research, or jotting down messy plotting notes that we pray will somehow amount to a story one day. By communicating with my kids (like sharing with them about the story and characters) I’m able to help them see what I’m doing and why. And since kids can be rambunctious and full of life (and questions, and needs for snacking, and ideas, and messes . . . *wink*) and since this writer works well with quiet, I have a little chalkboard that I hang on my doorknob when it’s one of my “office hour” slots. I jot down my start time and end time for that 1 ½ hour block, add a heart or smiley face, and often make note of what our next task will be like preparing a meal or doing an activity together. Then I shut my door and the little sign dangling from the knob outside helps the kids remember what I’m up to. It reminds them that I won’t be tucked away for long, but that I do need to focus for a little while. They’re always allowed to come knocking if a need arises, but for the most part, they’re happy on these afternoons with their own projects. When the hour or so is up, we reconvene and go back about our day, usually slipping into something fun that we do together. By having these slots of time in the week, and by communicating carefully with them in a way they can understand, it helps to bring us all what we need.

Grace

There are days when I blow it, and days when I need a lot of grace. Maybe I’ve spilled iced tea on one of the research books (don’t worry, this is a hypothetical example ? ) or maybe I didn’t save a scene properly, or just feel stuck and exhausted with a plot thread. These days can certainly tamper with the harmony, which begins with my heart and the need to remember the reason for why I write these stories: for God’s glory. When I begin to lose my calm, or grow frustrated or weary with the challenges afoot, I know it’s time to circle back to what it’s all for. It’s for the readers, it’s for my children, it’s for my joy, and most of all, it’s for God’s glory. By me being harried or stressed, very little of this is being accomplished! God has used the writing process to speak to my heart in ways that have reminded me of what I can surrender, and more and more of the ways that I can look to HIM for guidance. The lessons aren’t always easy, but through each season, and through each book, I have come to see more and more all the ways to be thankful.

BLOG STOPS:

Retrospective Spines, August 6

Just the Write Escape, August 6

KarenSueHadley , August 7

Batya’s Bits, August 7

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 8

By The Book, August 8

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 9

Adventures of a travelers wife, August 9

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, August 10

Betti Mace, August 10

Connie’s History Classroom, August 11

Christian Author, J.E. Grace, August 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 12

Moments, August 12

Simple Harvest Reads, August 13

Connect in Fiction , August 13

For the Love of Literature, August 13

Aryn The Libraryan ? , August 14

Through the Fire Blogs, August 14

Bigreadersite , August 15

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 15

Daysong Reflections, August 16

Living Life Free In christ, August 16

A Reader’s Brain, August 17

Texas Book-aholic, August 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Inklings and notions , August 18

janicesbookreviews, August 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 19

LifeofLiterature, August 19

As He Leads is Joy, August 19

 

When You Look at Me by Pepper Basham



MY REVIEW:

I don’t know if I’ve ever read a novel in which both the primary romantic characters are introverts but it definitely works in When You Look At Me. This was a story that yanked at my heartstrings but was at the same time so very positive and uplifting.

Although an assault had left Julia broken and wary of men, her mostly positive attitude, good humor, and reliance on the Lord made her a character I could love. And Henry, my goodness, was the perfect man for Julia! Although he too had a wounded spirit that left him determined to remain single, he recognized Julia’s needs and responded in such a gentle and protective manner. As an introvert myself, I could find myself just a bit jealous of Julia but I realize that men with the sensitivity of Henry are most likely a rare breed.

Aside from Julia and Henry, it was fun to catch up with Wes and Eisley from Just the Way You Are as well as other members of the Jenkins family. The plot moved along at a steady rate and taking me from laughing out loud to anger or sympathy for the way Julia and Henry had been treated. The mysterious addition of a family secret added even more interest to their story.

I loved When You Look at Me and can barely wait for another novel by Pepper Basham. I will definitely be checking out some of her earlier books asap.

I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by JustRead Publicity Tours. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.



Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for When You Look at Me by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

when you look at me frontTitle: When You Look at Me
(Pleasant Gap Romance #2)
Author:
Pepper Basham
Publisher:
Woven Words Publications
Release Date:
October 25, 2018
Genre:
Inspirational Contemporary Romance

An unexpected mother-to-be
A romance-leery composer
And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures

When Julia Jenkins’ great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. As she goes through her aunt’s treasured possessions, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

But her broken past and his families’ expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who’s written the perfect melody for their lives?

PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance novels with grace, humor, and culture clashes. She’s a Blue Ridge Mountain native and an anglophile who enjoys combining her two loves to create memorable stories of hope. Pepper is also a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of Jesus and chocolate. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.

CONNECT: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram


wylam blog giveaway

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive:

  • print copy of Just The Way You Are (Pleasant Gap Romance #1)
  • print copy of When You Look at Me (Pleasant Gap Romance #2)
  • a plaque which says: Once in a while, right in the middle of an ordinary life…. love comes along and brings you a fairy tale

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 22, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm October 29, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. US addresses only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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

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Under a Cloudless Sky By Chris Fabry



MY REVIEW:

“Under a Cloudless Sky” is another book by Chris Fabry that takes the reader places she never expected to go. I certainly never expected what seemed to be a simple story about an aging woman fighting for her independence to morph into such a revealing look at life in a small mining town in West Virginia. You would think that after reading several novels by this author I would know better. Chris Fabry always has a surprise or two in store for me in every one of his books.

Fabry’s writing never fails to impress me with his skilled plotting and depth of his characters. Although this novel moved between two time frames frequently, I never found it difficult to keep up with the story. With an independent mother close in age to Ruby, there were times I could relate all too well with her children and their fears for her. I have to hope that my own mom never takes it upon herself to do what Ruby did in her story.

So many twists and unexpected revelations not only held my attention but also touched my heart. Once again Chris Fabry has written a novel that grabs his readers’ attention and doesn’t let go. Prepare to be wowed and you might want a box of tissues handy.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Tyndale Blog Network. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.



ABOUT THE BOOK:

A charming and engrossing novel for fans of Southern fiction and the recent hit memoir Hillbilly Elegy about a lush and storied coal-mining town—and the good people who live there—in danger of being destroyed for the sake of profit. Will the truth about the town’s past be its final undoing or its saving grace?

1933. In the mining town of Beulah Mountain, West Virginia, two young girls form an unbreakable bond against the lush Appalachian landscape, coal dust and old hymns filling their lungs and hearts. Despite the polarizing forces of their fathers—one a mine owner, one a disgruntled miner —Ruby and Bean thrive under the tender care of Bean’s mama, blissfully unaware of the rising conflict in town and the coming tragedy that will tear them apart forever.

2004. Hollis Beasley is taking his last stand. Neighbors up and down the hollow have sold their land to Coleman Coal and Energy, but Hollis is determined to hold on to his family legacy on Beulah Mountain. Standing in his way is Buddy Coleman, an upstart mining executive who hopes to revitalize the dying town by increasing coal production and opening the Company Store Museum. He’ll pay homage to the past—even the massacre of 1933—while positioning the company for growth at all costs.

What surprises them all is how their stories will intersect with a feisty octogenarian living hundreds of miles away. When Ruby Handley Freeman’s grown children threaten her independence, she takes a stand of her own and disappears, propelling her on a journey to face a decades-old secret that will change everything for her and those she meets.

Read an excerpt from “Under a Cloudless Sky”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live! on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. A 1982 graduate of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and a native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.

Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, and Not in the Heart, have won two Christy Awards and an ECPA Christian Book Award, but it’s his lyrical prose and tales of redemption that keep readers returning for more. He has also published more than 65 other books, including nonfiction and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. RPM is his latest series for kids and explores the exciting world of NASCAR.