Book Review: Preacher on the Run by Jayna Baas

It's 1771, and Robert Boothe has spent the last four years leading the tyrant-hating Regulators in standing against North Carolina’s corrupt British government. All he wants is a safe place for his family and church to live and worship in freedom. But the established church wants him to shut up. 

The governor’s men want him dead. Colonel Charles Drake is on Robert’s trail, and that safe place is farther and farther away. 

You can run, but you can't hide . . .

Series: For Liberty & Conscience, #1

My rating:

Wowwww. That was a deep breath of nostalgia for me. Throughout the entire book, it kept taking me back to the days that I soaked up Douglas Bond, Sisters in Time, Jim Kjelgaard, Walt Morey, Lois Walfrid Johnson, Gilbert Morris...

There are several words that come to mind when I think of Preacher on the Run, but one in particular stays with me: Steady. 

Rob's steady conviction, and steady temperament. Maggie's steady trust in and support of her husband—and God. Mitch's steady view of the truth and his steady willingness to point Rob back in the right direction if need be. Alec's steady (although a bit...shall we say, maybe not always reliable...at times) willingness to help wherever needed.

Is there a lot of action in this book? ...Not really. Not in the it's-pre-Revolutionary-war-and-things-are-heating-up sense. But the fact that there was somehow action on the Homefront, even though it wasn't nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat action, amazed me. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife, with Chauncy, Kendall, and Drake stirring up a nest of rattlesnakes...although they were technically the snakes. *cackles*

Robert's inner turmoil was sooo well-done. He fought with himself, with God, and with Governor Tryon (and Colonel Drake, for that matter). He knew what was right. He knew that God would bring them through. But sometimes...sometimes you don't always do the right thing, and you have to pay the consequences. Honestly, this book was exactly what I needed right now. Watching Rob wrestle with trusting God. Wanting to just make everything better himself. I could practically feel the tension in the back of his neck as one thing after another just kept. going. wrong. For once, the main character in the story was my favorite, and his character arc was so inspiring.

Like...the whole book was inspiring. I can't even describe it.

Plus, the plot, though not incredibly fast-paced, was steady (see? there's that word again), had some action sequences (and this time I do mean actual fighting with the bad guys), sweet moments, and the story just...I wanted to stay in it forever. Maybe it was because of the nostalgia. Maybe it was because I needed a light read. Whatever the reason, I give it a quiet five stars. Because books like this, though maybe not full of beautiful prose or nail-biting suspense, was full of truths that I needed to hear. And, as Robert Boothe would say:

"The truth will hold its own."

Did I find a new indie author to keep an eye on? Yes. Yes, I did. What's a new-to-you author with an upcoming release that you're looking forward to??

The Party Train is Coming!

Hey guyyyys. It's that time of year again. Time for pumpkins and falling leaves (and just all the pretty colors of the leaves ON the trees) and hay rides and candles and cozy evenings (bonus points if there's a fireplace involved) and soup and ALL THE THINGS.

(Autumn, guys. In case you didn't figure it out by now, it's Autumn.)

(And do I call it Fall in real life but Autumn online? Yes. Because I'd sound weird if I actually called it Autumn but I like that word better so there.)

(Plus, I have a relative named Autumn so saying it out loud makes me think of her and not the actual season.) (I do love you, Autumn)

And do you know what ELSE Autumn brings??

Well...a lot of things. But I'm talking about something in PARTICULAR.

THAT'S RIGHT! It's time for the Five Fall Favorites blog party again!

I'm joining nine other bloggers in a week-long party celebrating Autumn (or should I start saying Fall to avoid being repetitive, and since the party has 'Fall' in the title? *rubs chin*), and books, and is chock-full of recommendations to make a party that you won't want to miss!

Plus, there's a GIVEAWAY so yeah. You definitely won't want to miss it.

WHEN IS THIS PARTY, YOU ASK?? Good question! Five Fall Favorites starts NEXT MONDAY, October 4th! (Honestly I can't believe September is almost over already. Like, wherrrrrre in the wORLD did the time go?!)

If you want to know more details about how this is gonna work, you can leave a comment, or contact me using the form on the sidebar, or you can go here to see my posts from last year!

*Puts on monocle* Will I see you there??

Book Review: The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

 

Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons—but she'll certainly never reveal the real one.

1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she's pregnant with her deceased fiancé's baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.

This dual-timeline story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of a mother-daughter dynamic, the way the secrets we keep shape our lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the truth.

My rating:

Not gonna lie, for the longest time I misread that title. I thought Old Depot Grocery had secret caretakers or something and then I was, like, halfway through the book when I realized OH WAIT THE PEOPLE AT OLD DEPOT HAVE SECRETS! And then the title made so much more sense. *cough* But yes. This has been senior moments with Kate. Tune in next time to see me make a further idiot of myself. But hey, I can laugh about it, so it's all good.

ANYWAY. On to my review. (see, when I don't wait weeks after I've read the book to write the review, I can actually add pERsoNaLiTY)

Oh my word, you guys. I seriously could not put this one down. There are so many words I could use to describe this book, but the one that really stands out in my mind is whimsical. Forget the dual timeline, the entire thing had an air about it that...goodness, I can't really explain it, it just...all the vibes were there and it was specTACular. I could practically hear the wooden floorboards creaking as customers stepped on them and as little Rosemary and Jessamine played hide-and-seek. I felt a part of something really...special.

The characters were all incredible. Like, yeah, they had problems and they kept secrets when they shouldn't have but the thing is, I understood why. If you want your characters to do the wrong thing but still be lovable, make them relatable and play on the readers' empathy. It works wonders. *nod* But anyway. Sarah, Rosemary, and Glory Ann all had their secrets, and while it got quite frustrating at times, I never felt like grabbing by their shoulders and giving them a good SHAKE—because EMPATHY. Like I said, it works wonders.

Honestly, though. I just really loved all the characters. (Except Jessamine. She was an absolute brat that needed her father to apply the board of education to the seat of learning, as my own father would say. That part really did drive me absolutely batty.) Glory Ann was someone that required patience...but she's worth it. Rosemary had to be the most patient girl I know. And Sarah's heart of gold made me love her. I honestly adored Clay. Bo, though a very minor character, was still so vital to the plot and the book would never be the same without him; he was amazing.

But I'd just like to take up an entire paragraph to talk about CLARENCE. Again, a minor character. But quite possibly the most important character in the entire book. Actually, I'm pretty sure he was. I'm going to avoid going into detail in case of spoilers, but...y'all. Like... *flails* I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE HOW INCREDIBLE CLARENCE WAS. He is an entire reason to read the book.

The book wasn't suspenseful or particularly fast-paced, but I was so invested in the characters that, like I said earlier, I seriously couldn't put it down. What lesson did I learn from this book? You need to let people make their own choices; let them decide what they want to do. Don't try to decide for them. And, though I already knew this, but I'll just say it: secrets always, always come to light. Whether you want them to or not.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.

What are you waiting for? Go give this one a read!

Book Review: Under the Bayou Moon by Valerie Frasier Luesse

Restless with the familiarity of her Alabama home, Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country. Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their culture, most of the people in tiny Bernadette, Louisiana, come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher as a boon to the town. She's soon teaching just about everyone--and coming up against opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives.

Acclimating to a whole new world, Ellie meets a lonely but intriguing Cajun fisherman named Raphe who introduces her to the legendary white alligator that haunts these waters. Raphe and Ellie have barely found their way to each other when a huge bounty is offered for the elusive gator, bringing about a shocking turn of events that will test their love and their will to right a terrible wrong.

A master of the Southern novel, Valerie Fraser Luesse invites you to enter the sultry swamps of Louisiana in a story that illuminates the struggle for the heart and soul of the bayou.

My rating:

When I saw that this book takes place on the Louisiana bayou, seeing as how someone very close to me is from LA, I of course had to request to review it.

Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious.

It took me a couple of weeks to get into the story; A young woman (Ellie) on her way to a new job in the middle of nowhere stops at a diner and gets sage advice from a wiser lady, higher in years, that works behind the counter of a diner befitting the era of the story. Yippee.

And then, enter stage right: Heywood Thornberry. I adore Heywood. Like...y'all. Heywood needs his own novel, please and thank you. On the surface, Heywood is a happy-go-luck ladies' man, a good ol' boy that everyone wants as their friend. But the way he took care of Ellie...just...yes. Oh my goodness, I adore Heywood.

So then, things started looking up. You learn a bit more about Ellie herself, and she...was an outstanding character. The deep compassion she had for everyone, her logical approach to everything...I really, really loved her. The way she was determined to help the children—and those around her—greatly inspired me. Plus, I just found her generally relatable.

And then we meet Raphe: quiet. Calm. Easygoing, yet intense. I adored the way he looked after Remy like his own son, the way he gently handled Ellie when she needed it most. His compassion for those around him, and the way he always helped out wherever needed. And his friendship with Heywood? LET ME TELL YOU. That trio—Raphe, Ellie, Heywood—was specTACULAR. The fact that if one of them got bored (*cough* mainly Heywood *cough*) they just went and bugged one of the others? Talk about a friend squad.

The spiritual aspect was more cultural than an actual theme in the book, but somehow, it fit. The majority of the cast of characters was catholic, but while I'm not catholic, I also didn't read a lot of catholic doctrine, either...like I said, it was more of a culture thing than an actual message. The message in the book wasn't a spelled-out obvious spiritual truth; it was the subtle theme of close-knit community.

Set a few years after WWII, the governor of Louisiana is trying to stamp out the creole culture, banning the French language from the state. But with ulterior motives comes the realization that when you try to pit neighbors against each other, it'll backfire on you. The people of Bernadette are some of the most loving people you'll ever meet, and the most stubborn.

No wonder Ellie fell in love with the place.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.

What was the last book that wrapped you in a hug and made you never want to leave?

Book Review: To the Uttermost by Kristina Hall

How far will he take his quest for vengeance?

Owen Lockart will track down and kill the man who murdered his three brothers and left him to die in the Colorado wilderness. And no one will get in his way.

Sally Reiner doesn't know a stranger. She thinks nothing of befriending Owen, her family's new ranch hand. Little does she know he's won her trust to gain information about her no-good murderer of a brother.

Will deceit and vengeance destroy Sally and Owen, or will they trust in the only One Who is able to deliver them?

Series: A Better Country, book #2 (can be read as a standalone; I did!)

My rating:

Well, this new-to-me indie author has definitely been a success so far! I might be slightly biased because I've loved westerns my whole life, but pfft, minor details.

The prologue was a fantastic way to open the book, and had me hooked from the beginning! An ambush, injuries (*smirks* if you know, you know), the terror of wondering if his brothers were alive or not...just yes.

The writing style really pulled me in. I was definitely invested in the story, and even though life has been insane, I found myself spending extra time reading it. Soooo...sorry to my epic boss for spending an extra long time watering the plants because I was reading. *grins sheepishly*

Owen's thirst for revenge, though I normally find that kind of thing highly annoying, actually kiiiinda had me on his side. Like, yeah, I knew it was wrong and everything, and I would've tried to talk him out of it, but I definitely understood why he was doing it and a tiny bit of me was like Mmm yes okay, go get 'im, tiger! But *cough* after Owen continually persisted for three hundred pages, it...kinda got old. Kinda.

Sally appeared to be your typical I'm-gonna-do-whatever-I-want-to-do-and-I-don't-care-what-you-think kind of female protagonists at first, but she wasn't, and I actually grew to love her. I loved how she was stubborn and determined enough to carry her weight and do what needed to be done when things got tough, but she also knew her limitations and listened to people's advice. I really loved Sally. (Though I'm sorry, I do. not. like. that. name. *cries*)

Doyle was definitely the sweet endearing man everyone wants as a grandpa. Rose was the sweetest thing. The kids were little terrors (honestly seemed like brats that needed some discipline to me, but I won't complain, as they weren't in the book a whole lot). Harry was incredible and the best character in the whole book.

The message of faith was strong—very strong. The message of forgiveness and leaving vengeance to the Lord was epic, and so was the salvation message, but...it was kinda...preachy. Okay, very preachy. I understand that Sally was just doing it out of concern, but in that one scene, I almost felt like I was reading a sermon, and it kinda jerked me out of the story. 

All in all, though, I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a clean western with a good message!

 

*I received an e-copy of this book from the author for promotional purposes. All thoughts are my own.

What's your favorite western?