Book Review of In the Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson

This book caught my eye because it sounded so much like the gothic mysteries I loved years ago. No surprise there, when I discovered the author has been influenced by them also.

First, a weird side note: I found the book on a used book sale at my local library, but I didn't buy it, because I wondered if I might just listen to it on Hoopla. Voila! There it was. The narrator did such a fabulous job, that I began to wonder if it was really written that well, or if it was only the narrator imbuing the story with such talent that it brought every line read to life. So... when I'd gotten nearly to the end, I went back to the library and bought the book anyway. 

There it was, a perfectly plotted story--a terrific hook, fabulous rising action, a dynamic turning point, and then a climax with a great twist! And of course, a dashing hero and clever heroine. The scenes are filled with mysterious ambience, and the characters are all full of intrigue, carrying secrets and passions that unfold slowly. It's really good story-telling, all the way around. Especially if you, like me, fondly remember those old gothic stories you read in your youth.

On another aside, although this book is published by Thomas Nelson, I would not call it Christian fiction, but rather a clean read.

Abigail Wilson's Goodreads page

Book Club Pick and Two Days Left in the Tour Giveaway

I can't put it all in the newsletter, you know? So here are a couple of updates. 

First: SEASON OF MY ENEMY is the July book pick for the Christian WWII Readers' Book Club. There's still plenty of time to get on board with that if you enjoy reading along with others for discussion.

Second: To wind up the month, I'll be going live with the very same club on July 28th, 7:30 p.m. central time. We'll talk about the book, and we chat about whatever else is on our minds too. 

Third: It's not too late to get in on the Celebrate Lit tour for Season of My Enemy. There are still a couple of days to enter for a copy of the book and a $25 gift card!

Finally: I know how it is, wanting to read a new book, and just not being able to purchase another one right now. So don't forget--your local library LOVES recommendations! You can also recommend it to your favorite audio book acquisition source, such as Hoopla. Season of My Enemy comes in all formats, so let your library know!

Stay tuned . . . there's another Celebrate Lit tour coming next month with a huge prize. You won't want to miss it, and I'll be offering my other new title in that one: Song for the Hunter.

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Blessings,

Naomi

The JOY of the Lord is. . .LAVA!

I am SO thankful that the joy of the Lord runs down deep. Rather than trust my day-to-day changing feelings--the surface emotions--whether it be happiness or discouragement, the joy Christ offers is the molten lava that fills my core. The praise song that says, the joy of the LORD is my strength is right on. Amen!

Because we need that kind of real, inner core, strength and joy. The kind that holds us up when we pull an emotional muscle.

You and I live with constant peaks and valleys. This week, for me, has been mountaintop views, with my new novel Season of My Enemy birthing into the world, and it’s had lowdown
dips draped in foggy unknowns. I’m sure you know what I mean.

I truly believe that, any day now, the clouds are going to part, and we are going to hear the trumpet of God calling believers out. Some say, “It’s always been like this.” I don’t believe that’s the case. There have been terrible atrocities throughout history, and nations and societies have indeed collapsed. Preachers since Habakkuk have bemoaned the injustice of it all. But, as another song says, “Matthew twenty-four is knocking at the door”. I think we are nearing the end of the church age.

So, what are we to do? Here's my intention:

1. Present the Gospel to whomever will listen. Cast seed, cast seed, cast seed. I’m especially impressing truths on my grandchildren.

2. Live each day with the possibility that it could be the last. (Shouldn’t we be doing this all of the time?) Keep accounts short. Speak love. Confess sin. Endure wrong-doing by God’s grace. PRAY ALL THE TIME. Tell others of their need to repent and believe.

3. Write. Scripture says, “Occupy until I come.” For me, I'll continue penning stories and doing life, but with an eye on the sky and a spirit of urgency. Be busy with the work He’s given you to do. Spread seeds, fertilize your Gospel crops, grow in faith, harvest fruit!

That last one seems a little out of step, except that it’s not. Jesus said that when he comes back, the world will be operating much as it always has. People “will be buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage,” etc. We aren’t to go off to dwell in a secret place on a mountaintop somewhere awaiting Christ’s return. We are to press on. Keep going. Redeem the time. Keep going in your work and be about God's business while you're at it. 

When I write, I spread seeds. Sometimes for salvation, sometimes for encouragement and thought. Sometimes to offer spiritual truth, sometimes to offer joy, sometimes to offer a reprieve from what the world has to offer.

But back to the beginning—joy doesn’t depend on daily happiness—on the good or bad things that happen. Real life presses us with difficulty and sorrow, but also with gladness and love. Through it all runs one great thing, the grace and love of Jesus. He alone can offer us true, deep, abiding joy and strength.

• Soak in scripture. Memorize it. Copy it down. That copying process helps me experience the deep flowing joy and peace of God.

• Sing songs. Listen to sermons by Godly, non-woke pastors.

• Pull back from social media. Unfollow those voices that are pulling you into despair.

• Read uplifting books, both fiction and non-fiction.

Here’s one that I am greatly enjoying right now:
 The One-Year Home and Garden Devotions by Sandra Byrd

All the ladies in my church received a copy for Mother's Day, and I started reading with the January 1st entry, even though it was May. I have to tell you, it's been a long time since a devotional book has so touched all the places I'm in like this one has. Sandra Byrd has a way with illustrating Bible truth using story and Scripture that speaks to the heart, and brings that lava joy of Jesus right up top. I give it a high recommendation. 

• Lastly, to realize that inner joy that the world cannot give, remember this from James 4:8: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you..." James explains much on developing such nearness. In my way of thinking, it's like standing on the crust of the earth without feeling the lava moving in the core. We might not sense the presence of God or experience his inner peace and joy if aren't actively drawing near to him. Prayer combined with reading and studying His Word is how we do that.

It's finally here! Grab your copy of Season of My Enemy wherever books are sold, or listen on audio. You can also read it free on Kindle Unlimited, and if you're a book reviewer, you can still grab it on Netgalley!

Review of "Obedient Unto Death" by Liisa Eyerly

 

Breath-taking intrigue abounds in this novel that takes place in ancient Ephesus during a time of Roman rule and persecution of the early Christian church. Debut author Liisa Eyerly weaves a mesmerizing tale of murder and treachery in a city that rises up vividly from history. As Sabina, the story’s heroine, wrestles with her own personal faith and longings, she also finds herself thrown into the mystery of who committed a terrible murder in which a man is poisoned and dies right before her eyes. There are reasons to become involved, and most definitely reasons not to. Compelled to try, Sabina is opposed by enemies lurking within and without her circle of family and friends, and sometimes it’s hard to know who can be trusted and who serves their own nefarious purpose. Meanwhile, the clock ticks against the execution of an innocent apostle as well as Sabina’s own future happiness.

I was astounded at the historical authenticity of the story, but never felt like information had been dumped over my head. Rather, the author deftly plucked me out of my 21st century comforts and plopped me deeply into the lifestyle, customs, and sometimes-frightening beliefs of those ancient times.

Layer upon layer is slowly peeled back, revealing friend from foe and sub-plots that made every character more alive. I kept turning the pages into the night even after my eyes were burning to find out who the killer was in this race against time and evil. Readers of such Biblical fiction like that of Connilyn Cossette, Lisa Tawn Berggren, and Barbara Britton will definitely want to take note.

 

Though no strings were left untied, I think Obedient Unto Death begs a sequel. I look forward to reading more by this new author.

Review of "A Heart Adrift" by Laura Frantz

 

Set along the eastern seaboard, this latest historical by Laura Frantz is a slight step away her frontier stories. With only mentions of the war raging in the wilds, Frantz focuses instead upon a heart’s longing and the undercurrents of war from the viewpoint of a nearly-spinster shop owner in York, Virginia. Distance truly makes the heart grow fonder for Esmee Shaw as she awaits the return of a sea captain who she’s fallen in love with for the second time—or never really fell out of love with on the first go-around. With Frantz’s flare for elegant prose, she sets a large part of the story on an island in a newly-built lighthouse—such a dreamy setting—and readers even experience a hurricane from that vantage point while human dangers lurk as well. I love the title, so very apropos. The only thing I wished more for in this particular story was more of the hero’s point of view while he was at sea. Otherwise, your heart too will set sail on this romantic tale. I received a copy of A Heart Adrift from Netgalley. The views expressed are my own.

Review of Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis

This latest installment in the Heroines of WWII series was another winner. It’s been so fun to discover how different each author’s voice and style is in these stories!

 

In Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War (such an interesting title!) war-widowed mother of two, Peggy Witherspoon, hasn’t let go of the ambition she’s held onto since she was a little girl--to fly planes. Not only does she get to fulfil her dream, but she does it on a grand scale when she joins the first Women’s Airforce Service (WASPs).

I love reading a good stateside story of WWII, because I want to understand what times were like here on the home front for the generation that preceded mine. Without being set on the front line, this story showed the wartime effort everyone was involved in back in the U.S., some, like Mrs. Witherspoon, more than others. I felt like the author did her legwork when it came to researching this story too, from the technicalities of repairing and operating a plane, to what was going on with the WASPs at that time.

Okay, now onto the romance. The hero, Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg, was a good egg. Coming to terms with being grounded after his own war wounds, his position in supervising the WASPs under his command made for a good setup in how he and Peggy meet and eventually fall in love. Their romance was a slow build, careful and tender—realistic considering she’s a widow and a mother, and she’s not as young as most romance heroines in fiction. I liked that. The gently developed realism in their relationship worked for me.

Then there was the dangerous rescue attempt. Okay—no spoilers—but this is when the story really had me turning pages. If you’ve been enjoying the Heroines of WWII series, don’t miss Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War.

Buy it here.  

Thanks to Netgalley and Barbour for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Book Release Event--and Some Favorite Lumberjack Movies

February 1st is the BIG DAY! 

Lumberjacks & Ladies releases in paperback, ebook, audio--yes, AUDIO!--large print, and library bound! I hope you'll request it in multiple formats at your local library.

As part of the celebration, I'll be joining Mary Davis and Donna Schlachter, both authors with new releases and co-writers on the Heroes, Heroines, & History blog, for a virtual get-together--or as we like to call it, a PARTY--on February 15th!

That means there'll be multiple giveaways as well as a grand prize. Mark your calendars for February 15th to join us on the Heroes, Heroines, & History blog for this "Mid-Month Madness" event. Then pop on over to the Facebook page for more opportunities to chit-chat and win.

Here are the links for the two places that the party and giveaways will be held--each one having separate giveaways.

Heroes, Heroine, & History  (all day)

Facebook Here are the presentation times: 

4:00 PM CT/3:00 MT/2:00 PT: Naomi
4:30 PM CT/3:30 MT/2:30 PT: Donna
5:00 PM CT/4:00 MT/3:00 PT: Mary

Then when you're finished reading Lumberjacks & Ladies and the other books you win at the party, how about a movie night? Here are a few lumberjack tales I've enjoyed--pretty much all old classics.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (I never tire of this musical!)

The Lumber Baron (A sweet, clean historical)

Sometimes a Great Notion (Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick)

The Big Trees (Kirk Douglas)

For laughs with Ma & Pa Kettle: The Kettles on Old McDonald's Farm

Less of a lumbering tale, but still a family favorite: The Journey of Natty Gann

Do you remember the 1960s television series about a post-civil war lumberjack family and their mail order brides, Here Come the Brides? (Bobby Sherman, Robert Brown, David Soul)

Do you have a favorite lumberjack book or movie to recommend?