Premonition at Withers Farm

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WRIGHT, JAIME JO

THE PREMONITION AT WITHERS FARM

The voices of the past cannot stay silent forever.

In 1910 Michigan, Perliett Van Hilton is a self-proclaimed rural healer, leaving the local doctor convinced she practices quackery. It doesn't help that her mother is a spiritualist who regularly offers her services to connect the living with their dearly departed. But when Perliett is targeted by a superstitious killer, she must rely on both the local doctor and an intriguing newcomer for assistance.

In the present day, Molly Wasziak's life has not gone the way she dreamed. Facing depression after several miscarriages, Molly is adapting to her husband's purchase of a peculiar old farm. A search for a family tree pulls Molly deep into a century-old murder case and a web of desception, all made more mysterious by the disturbing shadows and sounds inside the farmhouse.

Perliett fights for her life, and Molly seeks renewed purpose for hers as she uncovers the records of the dead. Will their voices be heard, or will time forever silence their truths?

My Review:

Gobsmacked. That's me. Senses reeling. Goosebumps still chilling. Heart may return to a normal rhythm eventually. Wright has fine-tuned her atmospheric, eerie, and yes, even menacing, storytelling to create another mesmerizing read.

Phew! I have no idea what else to say because there are so many intertwining elements in both timelines, so many intricate nuances in each story and the way they build and wrap together by the end is truly magnificent...but really hard to talk about without including spoilers.

Let's just say the journey was hair-raising and exhilarating and well worth the read.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Premonition at Withers Farm, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 17 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Now That I Know You

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RANDOM RETRO READ!

NEWPORT, OLIVIA

NOW THAT I KNOW YOU

Cate Butler is the distant cousin genealogist Jillian was so certain she wanted to find -- and the only connection she has to her deceased mother's Parisi family tree. So why does she wish Cate would stop pestering her? And why can't Jillian find a paper trail proving Cate is who she says she is?

Cate want something for her own career that Jillian can't give, but she also holds the key to family history Jillian can't bring herself to walk away from. Nolan, Jillian's father, steps in when Cate's chronic career chaos requires legal rescue. Drew, the man who holds Jillian's heart, has a surprising past with Cate. The truths Jillian, Cate, and Drew find while untangling knotted threads tie them back together in remarkable ways none of them ever would have imagined.

My Review:

published in 2021

I have been a fan of this Tree of Life series since I'm intrigued by family history and genealogical mysteries. I have found Jillian to be a complex and fascinating character and I love the close relationship she has with her widowed father. Their teasing and bickering always makes me smile, but it's there steadfast devotion to each other that is especially touching. 

'Now That I Know You' is the fifth and final book in this series and I do think you should have read at least one of the previous books before diving into this one. That's because of the cemented relationships, not just between father and daughter but with their bevy of friends. I have a feeling a new-to-the-series reader would feel a bit overwhelmed. And then there's the romance between Jillian and Drew that has been developing over the last few books.

Newport expertly weaves together two timelines and this time, the past features Jillian's own ancestors. The author delves into some fascinating (and tragic) Colorado mining history and it's up to Jillian to sort out all the players and how they are connected to her present. 

A captivating series conclusion that had me wanting to stand up and cheer by the end. So much to smile about. So much to think about -- how families can be victimized or blessed by previous generations -- why it's important to look at historical details with accuracy in order to really understand the past and prevent repeating mistakes in the present. And the courage it takes to do so.

Goal Update: #1 Read more Indies, #2 Catch up on series I'm behind in

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Now That I Know You, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday December 10 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

The Blackout Book Club

GIVEAWAY

GREEN, AMY LYNN

THE BLACKOUT BOOK CLUB

An impulsive promise to her brother before he goes off to the European Front puts Avis Montgomery in the unlikely position of head librarian in small-town Maine. Though she has never been much of a reader, when wartime needs threaten to close the library, she invents a book club to keep its doors open. The women she convinces to attend the first meeting couldn't be more different -- a wealthy spinster determined to aid the war effort, and exhausted mother looking for a fresh start, and a determined young war worker.

At first, the struggles of the home front are all the club members have in common, but over time, the books they choose become more than an escape from the hardships of life and the fear of the U-boat battles that rage just past their shores. As the women face personal challenges and band together in the face of danger, they find they share more in common with each other than they think. But when their growing friendships are tested by secrets of the past and present, they must decide whether depending on each other is worth the cost.

My Review:

An enthralling read that I found easy to lose myself in. This world, these characters, the particular time in history -- all combined to engage my imagination so that when I wasn't reading 'The Blackout Book Club', I was working out side stories in my mind. Love it when a novel provides that kind of springboard to creativity!

Told from four points of view, we follow an eclectic mix of women on the Homefront during WWII. There's Avis, an anxious housewife reluctantly turned librarian, Louise, a duty bound wealthy spinster with a sour disposition, young Ginny who is holding onto dreams that might never come true, and Martina, a desperate mother on the run. Thrown together in an impromptu book club endeavour that takes on a life of its own, they form an unlikely sisterhood in the face of adversity.

Loved the character growth -- the equal sharing from each point of view -- and the way these disparate women gradually let their guard down and learn to trust one another. The real strength of this novel is in the building of relationships. The conviction that we are better together than apart. It's uplifting and moving and crescendos into a ricochet of gasp-out-loud revelations by the end.

And the historical details are so fascinating. I had no idea that the United States' eastern shores were under such threats during the war. 

The bookish references delighted me, the club minutes written in each member's unique 'voice' brought comic relief to the weighted topics in this novel. And the lure of a non-reading reluctant librarian (spoiler alert: she learns to love books!) is so appealing...if hard to comprehend. How does anyone none love books?!

Amy Lynn Green is a masterful storytelling and she kept me engaged right to very last word.

While I received a copy from the publisher, I purchased the audible edition as well and thoroughly enjoyed Leah Horowitz's narration. She did a great job of giving each protagonist their own unique voice.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Blackout Book Club leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 26 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Passages of Hope

GIVEAWAY

HAYNES, TERRI J.

PASSAGES OF HOPE

Walk through Doors to the Post via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.

Gracie Kingston begins renovating on the Philadelphia house inherited from her grandmother and finds a secret room. It is connected to a house nearby, the home of William Still, the man known as the father of the Underground Railroad. As she researches, she discovers a mystery in her house's ownership. 

In 1855, Olivia Kingston helps a mother and her young child by hiding them in a secret room in her home. As she helps, she learns that there may be an impostor conductor in their community. As Gracie's and Olivia's stories intertwine, they learn the meaning of sacrifice and love.

My Review:

I am so late exploring this multi-authored series, but I am definitely going to be making up for that lapse in bibliophile judgement! 'Passages of Hope' is an excellent example of why I need to backtrack. 

Exceptional storytelling with dual timelines intricately woven together to build up to an impactful conclusion with so many nuances to both plot and character development in both timelines...well, I'm gobsmacked! And stymied about what to say and keep this review spoiler free -- and there's so much I want to say!!!!

I especially appreciated the parallels in the issues Olivia and Gracie struggle with. On the surface, their story arcs seem very different, but at the heart of each is their misguided (and stubborn) idea that they need to do everything all on their own. Learning to accept proffered help, to grow closer in relationships as they work towards a common good, to grasp the concept that accepting assistance isn't a sign of weakness -- so inspiring because we are at our most vulnerable when we risk letting people in. But, oh the impact others can make on our lives (and we on theirs) is so powerful and Haynes really showcases that here.

Both timelines are fast paced and emotionally riveting. There's angst and treachery and even romance! And so many nuggets of faith and wisdom -- sometimes from unexpected places. Inspiring and goose bumping and stand-up-cheering by the end.

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on a series I'm behind in, #5 Diversify my reading

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- Winner's Choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Passages of Hope, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 26 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

The Lost Melody

GIVEAWAY

POLITANO, JOANNA DAVIDSON

THE LOST MELODY

When concert pianist Vivienne Mourdant's father dies, he leaves to her the care of an adult ward she knew nothing about. The woman is supposedly a patient at Hurstwell Asylum. The woman's portrait is shockingly familiar to Vivienne, so when the asylum claims she was never a patient there, Vivienne is compelled to discover what happened to the figure she remembers from childhood dreams.

The longer she lingers in the deep shadows and forgotten towers at Hurstwell, the fuzzier the line between sanity and madness becomes. She hears music no one else does, received strange missives with rose petals between the pages, and untangles far more than is safe for her to know. But can she uncover the truth about the mysterious woman she seeks? And is there anyone at Hurstwell she can trust with her suspicions?

Fan-favourite Joanna Davidson Politano casts a delightful spell with this lyrical look into the nature of women's independence and artistic expression during the Victorian era -- and now.

My Review:

Well now, what to say without saying too much?! Such a quandary for a reviewer, because I'd actually like to say quite a lot. Revel in the story, dissect the plot elements, ponder the character arcs, bask in the spiritual aspects --but I can't do that without spoilers so, I'll curb my desire to exclaim over details...though, really, this would make a fantastic book club selection for so many reasons! What I can say is this:

Politano has created an incredibly atmospheric read. There's a such a sense of desperation that enhances the eerie ambiance. This isn't a light read -- it's about a Victorian-era insane asylum, after all, and especially highlights the plight of women who are at the mercy of men. Though it also addresses the poor and downtrodden as well. And anyone deemed different from the 'norm.' I'll let your imagination reign over that for a minute, and admit that I found the setting all the more disturbing because it's based on fact. 

And yet, the author shines light into that darkness, in particular, through Vivienne's walk with God. Her prayers, her anguish as she fiercely seeks to understand where He is in the midst of such depravity. And through her searching, she comes to understand that she can be the light. So many simple yet eloquent faith statements within these pages! 

There are mysteries at Hurstwell -- yes, more than one but they are all tangled up in a knot pulled so tight it seems impossible to unravel. I actually woke up in the middle of the night trying to figure out what on earth was going on! Like I was subconsciously trying to work things out in my sleep! Talk about becoming enmeshed in a story world!

And, for romance lovers like me, there is the hint of a love story here. I wouldn't categorize 'The Lost Melody' as a Romance, though. Definitely Historical Fiction and Mystery.

Though I received a paperback copy from the publisher, I also purchased the audible edition and really enjoyed Amy Scanlon's narration.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway a paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of   The Lost Melody, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 19 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Long Way Home

GIVEAWAY

AUSTIN, LYNN

LONG WAY HOME

A young woman searches for the truth her childhood friend won't discuss after returning from World War II, revealing a gripping story of courage, friendship, and faith.

Peggy Serrano couldn't wait for her best friend to come home from the war. But the Jimmy Barnett who returns is changed so drastically by his experience as a medic in Europe that he can barely function. When he attempts the unthinkable, his parents check him into the VA hospital. Peggy determines to help the Barnetts unravel what might have happened to send their son over the edge. She starts by contacting Jimmy's war buddies, trying to identify the mysterious woman in the photo they find in Jimmy's belongings.

Seven years earlier, Gisella Wolff and her family flee Germany aboard the passenger ship St. Louis, bound for Havana Cuba. Gisela meets Sam Shapiro on board and the two fall quickly in love. But the ship is denied safe harbor and sent back to Europe. Thus begins Gisela's perilous journey of exile and survival, made possible only by the kindness and courage of a series of strangers she meets along the way, including one man who will change the course of her life.

My Review:

It's the night before this review is due to go up and I finished this book over a week ago but I'm struggling to find words to express the emotional impact it's made on me -- the sheer brilliance of the storytelling -- and the cunning twists and turns that made it such an absorbing read.

So, we kinda have two timelines...but not really. :-) Peggy's point of view from the 'present' (post war) and Giselle's point of view from the 'past' following her desperate escape from Nazi persecution  which starts at the beginning of the war, late 1930s. So really, our time jump is only the span of a decade. Does that count as dual timeline? Whatever 'Long Way Home' is classified as, it's an incredible read. 

And, oh, but it delves into some tough issues! Like:

The barbaric way returning soldiers were treated for PTSD. Honestly, what they did to Jimmy in the hospital was horrific and his doctor thought he was some superior know-it-all bent on inflicting torture on his patients. Gah! I'd have like to jump into the pages of the book and give that uppity doctor a taste of his own medicine. Literally!

That wretched time in history when countries, including the US and Canada, refused to allow Jewish refugees entry into their countries, knowing full well that they were likely sentencing these people to death since the ships had to turn around and take them back to Europe. And we're on one of those ships with Gisella and it's heartbreaking.

Then there's Peggy, 'safe' back home in small town USA only her childhood has been anything but ideal, neglected by her father after the death of her mother and ridiculed and taunted by her peers because of her circumstances. Yet Peggy found solace with Jimmy and his family and she isn't about to give up on her best friend when he needs her the most. 

It's Peggy's optimism and endearing naivety paired with a streak of tenacious determination to make a difference that propels this story forward. With all these heavy topics you'd think this would be a tough slog of a read, but it's not. It's uplifting and hopeful and infused with faith. And the way the author weaves all the story threads together is truly glorious.

If you're looking for a book club read with lots of depth and plenty of talking points, look nor further. 'Long Way Home' provides that and so much more.

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy. Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Long Way Home, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 10 2022 . Offer open to 

Inventions of the Heart

GIVEAWAY

CONNEALY, MARY

INVENTIONS OF THE HEART

Her heart seeks safety. But will trouble find her, even here?

After her sister's marriage, Michelle Stiles is left hiding at Two Harts Ranch with the handsome but stubborn Zane Hart. She's managed to stay one step ahead of her stepfather and his devious plans, but if he finds her, she will no longer be safe.

Zane has problems of his own. Having discovered a gold mine on his property, he must figure out how to harvest it without kicking off a gold rush. Michelle, educated and trained to run her father's business, wants to manage all aspects of the mine, but Zane thinks for a person so smart she can have some misguided ideas. Running the mining operation will be a dangerous job, and he can't risk putting her in harm's way.

But danger finds Michelle anyway when she's suddenly attacked. If they go to the sheriff, they'll reveal her location, but if they do nothing...their troubles have only just begun.

My Review:

Sometimes my reading heart craves something clever and funny and total escapism and when it does I immediately think of two authors: Mary Connealy and Jen Turano. And after reading a few gut wrenching, tear inducing novels recently I knew it was time to lighten the load so I reached for Mary Connealy's latest comedic masterpiece. 

And the Lumber Baron's Daughters might just be my fave series of hers so far. Smart heroines and the men who love them. And the volatile clashing when their alpha male tendencies get the best of them -- priceless! :-) 

While Inventions of the Heart is the second book in the series, it can be read as a standalone BUT there is an over arching thread that will carry over to each book and won't be fully resolved until the last one. That involves the women's wickedly nefarious step-father plotting agains them and it's worth reading the first book just for the amazing opening scene where they escape from his evil clutches. So. Much. Fun. And a tad hair-raising. 

Packed with action, adventure and danger, this second book is just as thrilling as the first. Love Michelle's scientific mind and her canny inventions. She puts both to good use to meet all kinds of challenges and Zane can't help but fall for her. Add toe-curling romance to all the edge-of-your-seat chaos and you get the best kind of escape read imaginable! I'm still grinning and swooning and eager to see what's up next for the Stiles women and their heroes. Luckily I won't have long to wait since the final book, A Model of Devotion, comes out in October!

Goal Update: #6 Stay current with a series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy. Winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Intentions of the Heart, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 10 2022 . Offer open to 

All That Is Secret

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ

RAYBON, PATRICIA

ALL THAT IS SECRET

From award-winning author Patricia Raybon comes a compelling new historical mystery series, a riveting puzzle confronting the hidden secrets of class, race, family and love.

Can an amateur detective solve the cold case mystery of her lost father's murder?

In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain -- a daring but overworked theologian at a small Chicago Bible college -- receives a cryptic telegram calling her home to Denver to solve the mystery of the murder of her beloved but estranged father.

For a young Black woman, searching for answers in a city ruled by the KKK could mean real danger. Still, with her literary hero, Sherlock Holmes as inspiration, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young white boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome Black pastor who loves nightclub dancing and rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep secrets, Annalee confronts the dangerous truths and beliefs that could maker her a victim too.

My Review:

Whoa -- a new mystery series set in one of my favourite eras?! I am so in!!!! And what an unputdownable reading experience All That is Secret was! So many secrets! A knotted, mangled heap of them and Annalee so stubbornly intent on releasing each and every one. At great peril to herself and those close to her.

This is definitely not a cozy mystery. It's grittier, uglier and much too serious for that. But I found myself mesmerized right from the chilling prologue through to the heart-racing, gasp-out-loud climax. And I learned a ton about this time and place. I had no idea that Denver of all places was so ensnared by the KKK! The author shows the underbelly of a corrupt city ruled by greedy opportunists who crave power and fortune and are willing to do anything -- even murder -- to achieve their ends.

And in waltzes Annalee, connoisseur of all things Sherlock Holmes, ready to live out her very own mystery. Only it isn't as easy as the books make it seem. But Annalee forges on -- a unique combination of grit, impulsiveness and steadfast charm. And she's unstoppable.

Raybon has created a heroine who is easy to cheer for and also to lament over because....gah!...Annalee doesn't waste time thinking. Or planning. She's a sleuth in motion, relying on instincts and plain nerve to find the answers she's looking for. She finds them...but uncovers a whole new set of questions. Which is fine by me since this is the first of a new series!

She is also a theologian who has lost her connection with God and her journey back to faith is both inspiring and touching.

There's a great cast of secondary characters with complicated back stories who help or thwart Annalee's quest. Including one very dapper, toe-curl inducing pastor. Jack is as enchanted as he is exasperated by Annalee and their romance is heading in the right direction by the end of this first Annalee Spain Mystery.

An intriguing mystery with enough heart-stopping moments to require a defibrillator on standby.

 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of All That Is Secret, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday September 3 2022 . Offer open to 

By Way of the Moonlight

GIVEAWAY

MUSSER, ELIZABETH

BY WAY OF THE MOONLIGHT

Two courageous young women, tied together by blood and shared passion, will risk everything to save what they love most.

For as long as she can remember, Allie Massey, a gifted physical therapist, has dreamed of making her grandparents' ten-acre estate into a trauma recovery center using equine therapy -- a dream her grandmother, Nana Dale, embraced wholeheartedly. But when her grandmother's will is read, Allie is shocked to learn the property has been sold to a developer.

Decades earlier, headstrong Dale Butler's driving passion is to bring the prized filly her family lost to the Great Depression, but with World War II looming she's called upon in ways she never could have imagined. And while her world expands to include new friends and new love, tragedy strikes close to home one fateful night during the Battle of the Atlantic, changing her life forever.

As Nana Dale's past comes to light in Allie's search for answers, Dale's courage and persistence may be just what Allie needs to carry on her grandmother's legacy and keep her own dreams alive.

My Review:

So, I'd heard so many good things about this book in online chatter that I had to buy the audible edition even though I was waiting on a paperback copy...it was just taking way too long to arrive and I was in the mood for a richly layered emotional read right now! lol I can get kinda cranky impatient when my reading life is thwarted. 'Course, Murphy's law had my book arrive the day after I downloaded it from audible. :-) But I really enjoyed Susan Bennett's narration so I'm a happy customer and now I can do a giveaway of the paperback so it's all good.

I'd categorize 'By Way of the Moonlight' as Women's Fiction with strong romantic undertones. And honestly, I was a blubbering mess by the end. I'm not sure I can do justice to this book in a review. 

The way the author builds both timeline stories to a crescendo of gobsmacking revelations is so amazing that it defies description so I'm not even going to try! Just know that the impeccable pacing picks up speed as the novel progresses and you'll reach a point where you won't be able to put the book down so consider this your FYI -- clear your calendar and prepare to become so immersed in Dale's and Allie's lives that you won't care you even have a 'real' world to get back to. 

(True Confession: I got to a point near the end that I actually sped up my listening speed to 3x because I was so greedy to know everything right away! Then, once I'd settled down a bit I went back and listened to it all over again at proper speed while I sniffled into my hankie.)

Other random thoughts about 'By Way of the Moonlight':

All kinds of cover love!!! The stark simplicity of the silhouette is so eye-catching and I love that smoky blue background. 

Love the all consuming 'horsiness' of this novel -- it channels my junior equestrian reading obsession from back in the day -- Black Beauty, Misty of Chincoteauge, The Little White Horse etc. And the Equine therapy is an extra draw. The author really captures the miraculous wonder of the program.

I'm also enamoured with the incredible, salt-of-the earth secondary characters who provide guidance and wisdom that are passed down through generations. Like this:

"It will never be enough, Dale, until you decide that you already have it all. You settle in your mind a grateful heart, a content spirit, and everything else will be gravy, girl." (p 120)

This is a resounding theme throughout both timelines as both Dale and Allie come to terms with dreams vs reality. 

'By Way of the Moonlight' is an enthralling, uplifting, emotional adventure -- a novel I will cherish and reread many times over the years. A new 'Classic' for my listening library.

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  By Way of the Moonlight, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 27 2022 . Offer open to 

Heirlooms

GIVEAWAY

BYRD, SANDRA

HEIRLOOMS

Answering a woman's desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bong over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.

After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother's love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.

Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother's final breaths: ask Grace Kim -- Eunhee's granddaughter -- to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers' long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to their own lives.

Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women -- grandmothers and granddaughters -- intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life

My Review:

Some people cry at movies, I cry in books. My tender bibliophile heart gets all entangled in the lives of the characters and I'm a goner. I don't cry non-stop or with every book, but there are times when my eyes well up because I'm happy, sad, mad, relieved...but, I can honestly say I've never teared up from the sheer beauty and wisdom of a story until 'Heirlooms'.

And can I tell you why? Nope -- because that would involve spilling major spoilers. I'm not quite sure how to write this review, so here I are some random musings:

Two timelines brilliantly woven together -- and I love that we get chunks of one time period at a time, rather than bouncing back and forth between snippets of past and present. It helped me feel anchored in these stories and invested in the characters' lives.

And, oh, these characters! Helen in the 1950s and her granddaughter in present day -- the challenges they face, the legacy of love and faith...and the secrets borne out of social injustice in the past that finally get to see the light of day in the present and make a tremendous difference in the lives of the next generation.

The way both stories interweave, plot threads pulling tighter as the page count diminishes and then -- whoosh -- the expelling of anxious pent-up breath over the stupendous conclusion that rocked my bookish world and left me aching with so many emotions...and a copious amount of tears. Honestly, the crying took me by surprise but it was just the extraordinary way Byrd brings resolution and hope and so much promise for the future.

Of course, the gardening aspect was a huge draw for me -- so many parallels to life and faith in the growing of new things. The passion Helen develops and Cassidy inherits -- and the unification it brings to both their stories and their friends' stories. Because though told from Helen's and Cassidy's points of view, this is definitely Eunee's and Grace's story as well.

There's even a light romance in the present day timeline which made me all kinds of giddy (despite the angst at times.)

Utterly stunning and memorable. Definitely a book for the keeper shelf...or in my case the audible library shelf because I thoroughly enjoyed Melie William's narration. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  Heirlooms, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday August 20 2022 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Master Craftsman

GIVEAWAY

STUART, KELLI

THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN

In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Faberge, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history -- an unknown Faberge Egg that Peter Karl Faberge secretly created to honour his divided allegiance to both the people of Russian and the Imperial tsar's family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.

Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance -- and the consequences are greater that she could have imagined.

My Review:

A complex dual timeline story full of adventure and danger...and a chance to armchair travel! 

So, we have treasure hunting in present day and political unrest in the historical era and a host of complicated characters -- both real and fictional to follow. Talk about mind boggling, especially in early 1900s Russia. I have very limited (think practically non-existent) knowledge of Russian history so I'll admit to finding that part of the story a bit overwhelming. Some of it read like a fictional biography and I did get bogged down a time or two. I found it helpful to get key recaps in present day as Ava becomes invested in a treasure hunt with her estranged father and begins her own research.

I'm usually pretty good about finding a balance between both eras when I'm reading a dual timeline novel but this time round I connected with the present day story more. Ava isn't always a likeable character, but she does grow over the course of the novel. At times she seems much younger than her mid-twenties age, especially when it comes to her relationship with her parents. She definitely has a chip on her shoulder over her father's desertion when she was a young child. His terminal illness provides the catalyst that brings them back together but it starts off as an uneasy truce and there's all kinds of emotional undercurrents.

Since her dad is so ill, it's Ava who sets out on his last hunt -- in search of an unknown Fabrege Egg. She's accompanied by a motley crew of specialists -- 'muscle', tech nerd, Russian translator and, of course, her mother. 

Stuart weaves in and out of past and present as she draws the tension tighter and danger increases in both timer periods. And then we reach the end and I'm...wait, what??????? :-)

Please note: While published by Revell, a well known Christian Publisher, there is no faith content in this book. I found this really disappointing as I associate this publishing house with faith filled fiction so that is what I was expecting. It is a clean read...well that brings me to...

Second note: contains some mild cussing -- again, not what I expect from a Christian publisher

Book provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications Inc.

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy. 

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Master Craftsman leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the Draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 28 2022. Offer open to International Readers.

The Gold in These Hills

GIVEAWAY

BISCHOF, JOANNE

THE GOLD IN THESE HILLS

One wild and mysterious ghost town. Two second-chance love stories. And the century-old legacy that binds them together.

Upon arriving in Kenworthy, California, mail-order bride Juniper Cohen is met by the pounding of the gold mind, an unnamable landscape, and her greatest surprise of all: the kind of loving man who awaits her. But when the mine proves empty of profit, and when Juniper's husband, John, vanishes, Juniper is left to fend for herself and her young daughter in the dwindling boomtown that is now her home.

Juniper pens letters to her husband but fears she is waiting on a ghost. Perhaps worse, rumours abound claiming the man she loves could be an outlaw. Surviving in a ghost town requires trusting the kindness of a few remaining souls, including the one who can unlock the mystery of her husband's disappearance -- and Juniper's survival depends not only upon these friends but also the strength of heart she must fight to maintain.

Present day. Trying to escape the heartache of his failed marriage, Johnny Sutherland throws himself into raising his children and restoring a hundred-year-old abandoned farmhouse in what was once known as Kenworthy, California, in the San Jacinto Mountains. While exploring its secrets he uncovers Juniper's letters and is moved by the handwritten accounts that bear his name -- and as a love story from the past touches his own world, Johnny might discover yet that hope and resilience go hand in hand.

With The Gold in These Hills, acclaimed and beloved author Joanne Bischof returns with an absorbing masterpiece of faith, perseverance, and love that changes the course of history.

My Review:

Not what I was expecting but oh, so good! Love the dual timeline aspect centered around a mining ghost town. I was expecting more romance in both timelines, but they are on the lighter side while the main characters' stories focus on their personal struggles and faith journeys.

So in present day we have Johnny who is grappling with the reality of an impending divorce. Bischof does an incredible job of capturing the depth of his pain and inner conflict. I was gutted! And really interesting to see this situation from a man's perspective Usually I'm reading about a heroine who's been dumped by the love of her life and trying to put her life back together so the role reversal was a refreshing twist.

And in the historical timeline, Juniper is in limbo, waiting for word of her husband who has mysteriously disappeared. The mine the town was built around has failed and only a handful of people remain, making Juniper and her young daughter's lives all the more precarious.

Wowzers, but does this author know how to set a scene! Her writing is descriptive without being overly flowery and it's so easy to lose yourself in her world building. I could picture everything so vividly! And the way the past and present come together is brilliantly done...though the author deliberately leaves some things open-ended which gave me the poetic license to imagine my own continuing storylines. I do so love it when characters linger in my mind long after the book officially ends!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Gold in These Hills leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT AND DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the Draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday May 21 2022. Offer open to International Readers.