The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple

Clever is the one word I would use to describe this book. I appreciated both the literal story and the figurative one. The author showed a high level of skill and successfully wove all story elements together into a satisfying read. The religious theme was ever present, but never heavy handed.

The antagonist Josiah Fairchild is a believable and active accuser. In this story, he is the “father of lies”. Should the novel ever become a screenplay, he would be the personification of the Bible’s devil.

Naturally the main character’s friend and companion would be named “Peter”. No other name would fit his steadfast presence in Lily Temple’s life. He was her rock and literally an ambassador for Christ.

The cases Lily Temple and Peter Driscoll teamed up to solve added to the overall story. One allowed us to meet characters who showed unconditional love towards one another. The case of the lost girl who eventually was reunited with her father was a picture of restoration that warmed the heart.

I loved the setting of the story. The character’s dialogue and their movements about the English seaside towns of Brighton and Hove and St. Anne’s Well Gardens was captivating.

I would recommend this book to my book buddies. My copy of the print book fell on hard times when it suffered a fatal accident with my cat. I was only one third of the way through so naturally I purchased an electronic copy. Now as I look back on my highlights I’m reminded again of the wonderful word choice employed by the author. I’m impressed by the plot’s sophistication and the layers of storytelling.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review. When my print book disintegrated, I purchased the ebook immediately. I had to know how the story ended. The conclusion was consistent with my expectations. The characters found a sense of peace, an emotion many of us are currently seeking. They walked a long steady journey back to the garden and restored a personal relationship with the Father who is full of love, grace, and mercy and always ready to draw us near.

On Moonberry Lake

On Moonberry Lake
By Holly Varni / Revell

We’ve all seen those signs, “Life is Better at the Lake!”. Holly Varni’s novel proves the truth in this statement. Her novel On Moonberry Lake is chock-full of characters to love and plots you fall for hook, line, and sinker. From beginning to end, readers are treated to equal parts of heartwarming sentiment and comedy.

The book opens with a spotlight on broken relationships experienced by the main character Cora Matthews. She attends her mom’s funeral and can only think about how the words, distant and estranged, perfectly describe their relationship. Two weeks before the funeral, she cancels her wedding plans and breaks her engagement. When she makes the trip back to her childhood hometown she feels the weight of being alone and untethered to anyone and any place. She never dreamed she would be back at Moonberry Lake where she spent carefree days living in her grandparents’ lakeside lodge. A lodge she and her mother left decades ago due to a family dispute that remained unanswered all the years they lived away. Cora learns at the funeral that she has inherited the lodge. It’s a structure that suffers from neglect, but can be a temporary home for Cora while she starts to find a new path forward.

Cora indeed finds a full life lakeside made up of quirky but loyal new friends. She and two other characters work hard to repair the lodge and bring it back to life. The characters, Cora meets while carrying out her daily tasks can only be described as one-of-a-kind. Trust me when I say, you’ll be hard pressed to pick a favorite. From the bossy checkout clerk at the local store to the math genius who suffers from agoraphobia, each one is revealed to be a beautiful soul. There’s romance in the story too and what a love story it is. Finally Cora is able to invest in someone and build connections with her new community. She is naturally apprehensive but she listens to the wise counsel of her new neighbor Kitty when she says, “Happiness is yours for the taking. Sometimes you just have to do things scared and see how they work out.”

On Moonberry Lake is pure book joy. Pick up a copy and enjoy this delightful story. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review. #OnMoonberryLake!

He should have told the bees

He Should Have Told the Bees: A Novel
By Amanda Cox / Revell

Amanda Cox is a gifted writer who shines a light on characters struggling with mental health issues. She handles these difficult subjects with empathy. I had read her first book, The Edge of Belonging and loved it so much I gave it away immediately and recommended it to others. When I read about this new release I knew I had to read it. It’s a heart-warming story that mirrors the social problems prevalent in our communities. The issues of substance abuse, insecure housing, and people suffering from crippling anxiety are driving factors in the story.

While these issues are real and heavy, the two main characters emerge through their family struggles victorious. I haven’t given the book away yet, because I’m interested in keeping it in my personal library. In addition to an engaging plot, it is written beautifully with smart, concise prose. The secondary characters offer so much to the story. I loved all the dialogue shared between one main character and her counselor. The two male characters who develop into romantic interests for our two main female characters are sincere and prove themselves to be trustworthy. The thoughts the men shared always moved the story ahead in a positive direction.

I am a beekeeper with six years of experience. I appreciated the accuracy in this novel. The apiary and farm setting added great appeal to the story.

I highly recommend this book. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review.

The All American

The All-American: A Novel
By Susie Finkbeiner / Revell

The All American by Susie Finkbeiner

What a wonderful book! You’ll meet unforgettable characters with spot on dialogue. Expect to feel a full range of emotions as you proceed through their story. You experience joy over the characters’ victories and then despair when trials sabotage their harmony.

The author chose to tell the story from two different viewpoints rotating between the two main characters, Bertha and Flossie Harding. They are sisters and passionate about dissimilar interests. It’s baseball for Bertha and books for Flossie. Their dad is an author, and mom, formerly of the United Kingdom, is his biggest fan.

The book spans the time period from 1952 through the end of the decade. A time in our country when The Red Scare was an event that upended many innocent lives. Bertha and Flossie’s Dad was caught up in the snare and this accusation set in motion many unforeseen events.

As the Harding family deals with the consequences of these allegations, the family shows great strength. Amid the turmoil, Bertha gains the chance to pursue her dream of playing for the All-American Girls Baseball League. This sub-plot adds a fun dimension to the plot.

All the Harding family members have great stories to tell; including Uncle Matthew, and the newlyweds, Chip and Peggy.

I read this book at the height of baseball season. The book brought back pleasant memories of little league games and family trips to Cooperstown. But you don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy the novel. It’s a great read any time of the year. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Deadly Target Book 2 Rocky Mt. Courage

This is the third book I’ve read by Elizabeth Goddard. This one delivered dramatic action in an interesting outdoor setting just like the previous novels. The characters were resilient and smart. They had multiple mysteries to solve. As you’re drawn deeper into the plot, these terrifying and near fatal events happen with greater frequency. You wonder how much more these characters can take. Elizabeth Goddard weaves a cross continent trail from sea-to-sea with a layover in Montana for some of the most dramatic action. It’s a breakneck race to the end to see the mystery solved.

The book is second in the Rocky Mountain Courage series and it flows seamlessly from book one. The story is based on the experiences of Erin Larson and Nathan Campbell, who were secondary characters in Book 1 of this series. Erin’s job as a criminal psychologist adds an interesting twist to the plot. Her sideline vocation is broadcasting a podcast on cold cases. She publishes each episode anonymously to protect herself and the identities of those involved.

I found the book well written. The roster of characters is interesting and I appreciated how you never knew for certain exactly who was 100% genuine or a fake with a hidden agenda. I received a print book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. #DeadlyTarget #RockyMountainCourage!

Deadly Target #2
By Elizabeth Goddard / Revell

Ridge Top Book Blog Launches

I am always interested in new authors of Christian Fiction. Over the past few months I have been focusing on historical fiction. I have discovered many favorites including Jocelyn Green, Lori Benton, Mesu Andrews, and Tessa Afshar. This blog is my way of keeping track of my reading discoveries. I participate in a Christian fiction book club through my church. My idea is this blog will be a good resource for future book recommendations.