Touching Story of Hope: "Stories that Bind Us" - by Susie Finkbeiner

About the book:

Rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts
Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at forty. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what's next, never imagining what God had in mind.

When her estranged sister returns to town, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a five-year-old nephew she never knew she had. In 1960s small-town Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.

My review:

This was a bittersweet story as Betty is grieving her husband, yet discovering a nephew she never knew she had and the joy he brings to her life.  We discover more of her life through her memories scattered throughout the story; she had a hard childhood but filled with good memories, too, and had married a wonderful man.  Betty was such a sweet woman, taking care of her sister in her childhood and when she comes back to her.  They had a hard time of it, with a mother who had some issues, and being poor besides.  It seems that her sister might have some of the same problems as their mother and I can't imagine how hard that would be to deal with, for everyone involved.  I loved how Betty wanted to give her nephew a happier life and a real childhood, instead of being worried and uptight.  It was sweet how she made up stories that tried to teach him life lessons while being fun and imaginative.  She also had a strong faith and would pray throughout the story, as well as go to church.  There was also a great discussion with her father-in-law about not worrying and trusting God.  He was quite a the character and very funny.  They were such a wonderful family; her sister-in-law and brothers-in-law were so caring and watched out for her.  It was interesting how her eyes started to open to events happening in the country and around the world, including the civil rights movement.  This was a story about everyday people trying to make their world a better place.  I would recommend it if you like touching stories that are filled with hope.

I received this book free from Revell.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

           The Author

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   Bree Rose Photos

   Susie Finkbeiner

   Susie Finkbeiner is the CBA bestselling author of All Manner of Things, which was selected as a 2020 Michigan Notable Book, as well as A Cup of Dust, A Trail of Crumbs, and A Song of Home. She serves on the Fiction Readers Summit...
   

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"The Key to Everything" - by Valerie Fraser Luesse

About the book:

"Promise me you'll never come back here, Peyton. It's too much--it's just way too much."
Peyton Cabot's fifteenth year will be a painful and transformative one. His father, the heroic but reluctant head of a moneyed Savannah family, has come home from World War II a troubled vet, drowning his demons in bourbon and distancing himself from his son. A tragic accident shows Peyton the depths of his parents' devotion to each other but interrupts his own budding romance with the girl of his dreams.

Struggling to cope with a young life upended, Peyton makes a daring decision: He will retrace a journey his father took at fifteen, riding his bicycle from St. Augustine, Florida, all the way to Key West. Part declaration of independence, part search for self, Peyton's journey will bring him more than he ever could have imagined--namely, the key to his unknowable father, a longed-for reunion, and a calling that will shape the rest of his life.

My review:

This was a touching coming-of-age story about a wonderful teenager who's trying to find his place in the world.  He was such a great kid, helping people along the way, even at risk to himself.  He cared about people and was interested in their stories and he definitely met some interesting characters!  He had some wonderful adventures and it was cool to see that this book was loosely based on a true story!  I definitely want to visit some of these places; they were described so beautifully.  There was mention of prayer and God.  His mother also told some of her story, both now and when she met his father.  It was interesting seeing their history and the history of the family as it explained so much of their dynamics.  His uncle was a piece of work and truly a villain for the story.  Aunt Gert was a quirky, straightforward lady who would have been wonderful to meet.  There was some romance as we have both the love stories of Peyton and Lisa and his mother and father.  I would recommend it if you like coming-of-age stories or adventure stories.

I received this book free from Revell.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.

           The Author

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   Mark Sandlin

   Valerie Fraser Luesse

   Valerie Fraser Luesse is the bestselling author of Missing Isaac and Almost Home, as well as an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently senior travel editor....
   

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Non-Stop Action! Giveaway and Review of 'Cross Shadow' - A Shepherd Suspense Novel 2 - by Andrew Huff

About the Book About the book: All journalist Christine Lewis wants is the truth. All pastor John Cross wants is to avoid it. Former CIA agent turned evangelical pastor John Cross is busy caring for the small community of believers he ministers to in Virginia. Journalist Christine Lewis is busy with the demand for her talents from top news agencies in New York City. Neither has any time left for their relationship, which began eight months before when they paired up to prevent the detonation of a chemical bomb in the nation's capital. But when Christine hears that her stepbrother has been arrested for murder in Texas, they team up again to discover the truth about the crime. Untangling a web of conspiracy, the couple finds themselves in the center of another dangerous situation-and in trouble far deeper than they expected. With an assassin on the loose, a trusted colleague acting as a double agent, and unreliable artificial intelligence connected to mercenaries who have Cross on their hit list, these two may not get out of the Lone Star State alive. My review: What an action-packed story!  There were some awesome fight sequences and some amazing car chases!  There's a little bit of trouble in paradise as John and Christine seemed to have a hard time trusting each other.  John's so used to lying back in his CIA days and it's a hard habit to break, no matter how hard he tried.  And if you don't have trust... They also both wondered about where their lives were going.  They wanted to do God's will.  They both prayed throughout the story.  It was interesting watching them investigate and there was a little bit of funny banter.  There was a surprise ending so I'll be interested to see where it goes.  This worked well as a stand-alone but it was nice to know their back story from the first book, which I also liked.  I recommend it if you like suspense! I received this book free from Kregel Publications and Read with Audra.  I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are my own.                                                                                                                                                                                a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Huff spent ten years in local church ministry as a youth pastor and creative arts pastor before pursuing God’s calling into creative storytelling and media production as the product director at Igniter Media, a church media company (ignitermedia.com). He is a two-time finalist in the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis Contest for unpublished authors (2014, 2017) and also won the best screenplay award at the 2015 48 Hour Film Festival in Richmond, VA. A Cross to Kill and Cross Shadow in the Shepherd Suspense series are his first releases. Huff holds a bachelor of science in religion degree from Liberty University and a master of arts in Christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. He resides in Plano, TX, with his beautiful wife, Jae, and their two boys. Learn more Andrew Huff and the Shepherd Suspense novels at www.andrewhuffbooks.com. He can also be found on Facebook (@huffwrites), Twitter (@andrewjohnhuff) and Instagram (@andyhuff).