The Return

photograph by me

It's been six months, my friends. Six whole months. How did this happen? Basically, my spring was busy with transitions at work and really hard writing struggles (that I'm still overcoming) and then it became easier just not to blog. I wanted to but with all my writing trouble, I felt guilty blogging if I wasn't really getting anything accomplished with my writing. I was afraid of feeling like a fraud.

But enough of fear. If anything, this year has been about challenging myself to forge beyond fear and know that with God's grace I can just give it my best shot and trust Him for the results.

So let's talk shop. I'm currently about to set forth on an adventure: reading all (well, most) of the books I own before buying more. How will I do this? By not setting foot inside a bookstore and avoiding Amazon like the plague (or a cliche). My personal book collection has exploded in the past year and is now overflowing into stacks throughout my room. This is what regular income does to bibliophiles. (To be honest, though, I do have a list of exceptions in case I do run across books I can't pass up or an indie author releases a new title. #SupportIndieAuthors)

I am hoping this adventure will help give me fuel for future posts and reviews. I want to get myself back into the habit of posting here weekly again. I have plans for this small corner of the blogosphere. Some of these exciting plans include a fresh look and a new name.

Now talk to me, my fellow bibliophiles! What have you been reading? Have you discovered any new favorite bookish treasures? What projects are you working on? Talk my ear off, people, because it has been far too long.

Book Review: Lost Lake House

Amazon

  “The Twelve Dancing Princesses meets the heady glamor and danger of the Jazz Age 

  “All Dorothy Perkins wants is to have a good time. She’s wild about dancing, and can’t understand or accept her father’s strictness in forbidding it. Night after night she sneaks out to the Lost Lake House, a glamorous island nightclub rumored to be the front for more than just music and dancing…in spite of an increasingly uneasy feeling that she may be getting into something more than she can handle. 

   “Marshall Kendrick knows the truth behind the Lost Lake House—and bitterly hates his job there. But fear and obligation have him trapped. When a twist of circumstances throws Dorothy and Marshall together one night, it may offer them both a chance at escaping the tangled web of fear and deceit each has woven…if only they are brave enough to take it." — Synopsis from Goodreads

  Every time I hear the news that Elisabeth Grace Foley is coming out with a new release I get excited. She is an author who has not once disappointed me and who I return to again and again for good character driven stories with a flavor of the old fashioned. In short, I devour each new release and then wait hungrily for the next. And Lost Lake House is no exception.

  Elisabeth Grace Foley brings the fairytale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses to the roaring 1920s in Lost Lake House. As others have pointed out, it is difficult to go into details without fear of giving out too many spoilers. Dorothy and Marshall are sympathetic protagonists who both need to learn to tell the truth about their secrets and own up to whatever price they will have to pay— if they don’t, the consequences will be even more destructive. I loved her handling of the child-parent relationship too. She doesn’t glorify Dorothy's deception, but instead shows how it slowly starts to destroy who Dorothy, herself, is.

  I highly recommend this to readers of all ages. It’s a fairytale retelling with a twist of the old fashioned that is sure to please historical fiction lovers, ardent readers of vintage fiction, and fairytale aficionados alike.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Bells of Paradise

Amazon

   Only a madman would go into Faerie of his own accord.

   The one thing John the blacksmith loves more than his peaceful, hardworking life in Middleton Dale is the tailor's free-spirited daughter Janet. But unlike John, Janet dreams of adventure beyond the Dale. And when her dreams lead her into Faerie to be captured by a dangerous witch, John realises he must dare the perilous realm of the Lordly Folk to free his bride.

   A poignant and profound retelling of the Grimms' fairytale Jorinda and Joringel, set in the fantastical realms of Elizabethan folklore. Novella, approximately 25,000 words. — Synopsis from Goodreads

   I’ve never read a story quite like The Bells of Paradise, nor a character quite like John. John is the steadiest hero I have ever run across, and, truly, therein lies his greatness and heroism. He does not want fame or fortune, he is content to be a blacksmith in Middleton Dale and live his life married to the girl he loves, raise a family, and do honest work. But he loves Janet and when she is taken from him, he is willing to brave anything to bring her back, even the ever twisting and changing realm of faerie.

   Suzannah Rowntree has taken another fairytale I am unfamiliar with and made me fall in love with it. The lush historical setting of Tudor England and the eerie enchanted world of faerie turn out some of Rowntree’s finest writing. The supporting characters stand before you daring you decide whether they are friend or foe. Yet again, the author has managed to weave in a hint of allegory and strong theme without once detracting from the story, but enhancing it instead. Honestly, everything is so vivid and full of life in this story, I barely know how to put how much I loved it into words.

   I highly recommend picking up this latest addition to Ms. Rowntree’s fairytale retellings. This is not just a tale of adventure and heroism. In the words of another reviewer who summed it up just right, “It’s about the price of a cup of coffee, and gives you soul food that lasts much longer.”

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Resist by Emily Ann Putzke

Pre-order on Amazon

Munich, Germany 1942—Hans Scholl never intended to get his younger sister involved in an underground resistance. When Sophie Scholl finds out, she insists on joining Hans and his close friends in writing and distributing anti-Nazi leaflets entitled, The White Rose. The young university students call out to the German people, begging them to not allow their consciences to become dormant, but to resist their tyrannical leader and corrupt government. Hans knows the consequences for their actions—execution for committing high treason—but firm in his convictions, he’s prepared to lose his life for a righteous cause. Based on a true story, Hans, Sophie and all the members of The White Rose resistance group will forever inspire and challenge us to do what is right in the midst of overwhelming evil. — Synopsis from Goodreads

  It was with mixed feelings of excitement and dread that I read Resist by Emily Ann Putzke— excitement that I was finally able to read it and dread that it wouldn’t live up to my high expectations. I needn’t have worried. Once again, Miss Putzke has delivered another solid piece of historical fiction, only this time it’s a true story.

  The story of Hans and Sophie Scholl was unfamiliar to me before I read about them on the author’s blog. Their outstanding courage and steadfastness to their beliefs in the dark times of Nazi Germany is powerful to read. They are forgotten heroes whose story needs to be told. In Resist it has. And their story should make us think. I appreciated the author’s decision to include the White Rose leaflets in her novel. It gives the reader a higher appreciation of the risks the group ran and the words they were willing to lay down their lives for.

  A trademark I’ve begun to look forward to in Miss Putzke’s work is strong, clear characterizations. Hans, Sophie, and their friends jump off the page and into our imaginations as living and breathing men and women. They are historical figures that have come to new life through the author’s words and their story touches you all the more because of it.

  I highly recommend Resist to lovers of historical fiction, true stories, or readers with even the slightest interest in WWII. If I have one content warning for readers it would be a splattering of language throughout the book— it is mainly confined to several utterances of what is considered “mild” language.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Top Thirteen Reads of 2015

 2015 has been an interesting year. This blog sprung into a full fledged life and for long time I actually consistently kept putting out posts every week. And I loved it and I'm determined to get back into the swing of things. I shall not desert this small piece of the blogosphere. In short, I got a job in late September and I've been crazy busy ever since. My reading has suffered, my blogging has suffered, and my writing has suffered. Actually, I've being slogging through a wretched case of writer's depression (think writer's block multiplied by ten but worse).

Anyhow, I'm straying from the intention of this post. 2015 has been quite the year for books. I read numerous books that I felt were mediocre and an equal amount that took my breath away with how well written and stunning they were. Here are my top thirteen reads of 2015 in no particular order.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
  What can I say about this beautiful book? I loved it as dearly as I loved the film adaption. Sadly, I can only recommend it with the warning that it does contain a large amount of bad language that keeps me from letting my younger sister read it for now.

Pied Piper by Nevil Shute
  This is another one where I just sit here and scratch my head wondering how on earth I can possibly describe it? I first learned about it while going through a list of the author’s works on Wikipedia and after reading the synopsis, I knew I had to read it. Fortunately for you, I actually managed to pull myself together and write a coherent review here.

The Prince of Fishes by Suzannah Rowntree
  I had the opportunity to review this book on its release and fell in love with Miss Rowntree’s writing. Solid historical fiction with a fantasy/clockpunk twist, this one has me excited for the future of Christian fiction. And gave me a desire to acquaint myself more with the Byzantium empire. My review.

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
 Dickens, you brilliant, brilliant writer. I love your quirky characters, your complicated and intricate plots, and this your last completed novel.

A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
  WWI, sinking ships, and promises to dying men catapult nurse Bess Crawford into a world of mystery involving the family of one of her deceased patients. A splendid piece of historical mystery, though not for those who might be disturbed at verbal references and descriptions of a violent death.

Greenmantle by John Buchan
  The second book in Buchan’s Richard Hannay series, I loved it even more than I enjoyed the first book The 39 Steps. There’s a flavor and sense of honor to these that is unusual in others of the genre. It makes them stand out.

The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff
  I read this lovely piece of historical fiction in a read along with this dear lass. Sutcliff knew how to transport her readers back in time. You could feel the crisp wind blowing across your face as you journeyed through Roman occupied Britain with her characters.

Cards on the Table by Agatha Christie
  The most tightly written mystery I’ve ever read. The list of suspects is only four and all of them were playing cards together when the murder occurred. Which one of them committed the crime? And how did the innocent three not see it happen? Highly recommended. My favorite of Christie’s Poirot novels.

Leave It to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse
  Wodehousian comedy as only he could write. Psmith is mistaken for a Canadian poet and taken to Blandings Castle where chaos ensues with imposters, burglars, and ever efficient secretaries.

Wanderlust Creek and Other Stories by Elisabeth Grace Foley
  It is no secret that I devour everything that Elisabeth writes. I’ve followed her blog for ages and have read everything she’s published. Released in March, I bought it and read as soon as it was released. I wrote a review here.

Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
  I had heard much praise for this book and bought it when I placed my great Amazon order when Wanderlust Creek released. This brilliant piece of creative advice is a must read. I highly recommend it to you all.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
  On a fateful March day I borrowed The Fellowship of the Ring from a friend on impulse. And am I glad I did. Tolkien's epic style of storytelling in this battle of good vs. evil, his meticulous world building, and the craftsmanship with which he wrote this trilogy won me over.

Flight From the Reich: Refugee Jews, 1933 - 1946 by Deborah Dwork and Robert Jan Van Pelt

  The Jewish refugees of WWII and formation of the modern state of Israel has become an interest of mine ever since I read Bodie and Brock Thoene's Zion Covenant series in 2014. This book is a fantastic starting point for anyone even slightly interested in the topic.

 What are some of your favorite reads from 2015?

"Resist" Cover Reveal

 My dear, dear friends I'm sooo excited to be participating in Emily Ann Putzke's grand cover reveal for her upcoming release Resist! I've been eagerly tuning in to her blog and reading about her progress on this story ever since I found her blog. And from the snippets she has shared I'm convinced it is going to be a good one.

 But, without further ado, the cover!

Synopsis:

Munich, Germany 1942—Hans Scholl never intended to get his younger sister involved in an underground resistance. When Sophie Scholl finds out, she insists on joining Hans and his close friends in writing and distributing anti-Nazi leaflets entitled, The White Rose. The young university students call out to the German people, begging them to not allow their consciences to become dormant, but to resist their tyrannical leader and corrupt government. Hans knows the consequences for their actions—execution for committing high treason—but firm in his convictions, he’s prepared to lose his life for a righteous cause. Based on a true story, Hans, Sophie and all the members of The White Rose resistance group will forever inspire and challenge us to do what is right in the midst of overwhelming evil.

Available in paperback and ebook on February 22nd, 2016

Pre-order the ebook on Amazon

Add to Goodreads

About The Author:

Emily Ann Putzke is a young novelist, historical reenactor, and history lover. You can learn more about Emily and her books at www.authoremilyannputzke.com and www.facebook.com/authoremilyannputzke

 Go add the book to your Goodreads shelves! Mark your calendars for February 22nd, 2016! And don't forget to spread the word!