The Curiosity Keeper

“It is not just a ruby, as you say. It is large as a quail’s egg, still untouched and unpolished. And it is rumored to either bless or curse whomever possesses it.”

Camille Iverness can take care of herself. She’s done so since the day her mother abandoned the family and left Camille to run their shabby curiosity shop on Blinkett Street. But when a violent betrayal leaves her injured with no place to hide, Camille has no choice but to accept help from the mysterious stranger who came to her aid.

Jonathan Gilchrist never wanted to inherit Kettering Hall. As a second son, he was content working as a village apothecary. But when his brother’s death made him heir just as his father’s foolish decisions put the estate at risk, only the sale of a priceless possession—a ruby called the Bevoy—can save the family from ruin. But the gem has disappeared. And all trails lead to Iverness Curiosity Shop—and the beautiful shop girl who may or may not be the answer to his questions.

Curious circumstance throws them together, and an intricate dance of need and suspicion leads the couple from the seedy backwaters of London to the elite neighborhoods of the wealthy to the lush, green Surrey countryside—all in the pursuit of a blood-red gem that collectors will sacrifice anything to possess.

Caught at the intersection of blessings and curses, greed and deceit, two determined souls must unite to protect what they hold dear. But when a passion that shines far brighter than any gem is ignited, each will have to decide how much they are willing to risk for their future, love, and happiness.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this unique mystery set in the Regency era and centered on a curiosity shop. I haven't come across a lot of regency novels that have main characters working in a shop, so this one is a fun read! I enjoyed getting to know the characters, as they seek out the ruby that the Gilchrist family had stolen from them. I hope that Jonathan and Camille will show up in the other books in the series!
I did find that I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as some of Sarah Ladd's other stories, though it is still a wonderful read full of interesting historical details and characters. This book is a wonderful summer read!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

The Haunting of Springett Hall

Eighteen-year-old Lucy doesn’t know how she became a ghost, but the more she remembers of her life in Victorian England, the more she wants to forget. Her only hope of changing the mistakes of her past is to enlist the help of a servant named Philip—the one living person who can see her. This impossible romance story is filled with delightful period detail and plenty of mystery.

My thoughts: I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, but it sounded like it could be an interesting, gothic style story! It was a fun mystery, centered around the ghost, Lucy, who keeps waking up in a certain room of Springett Hall and didn't even remember who she was. I thought the author did a great job of portraying what it could be like if one woke up and had to solve the mystery of how one died.
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.

Thriving in Babylon

Meet a man forced to live in a fast changing and godless society. He faced fears about the future, concern for his safety, and the discouragement of world that seemed to be falling apart at warp speed.

Sound familiar? His name was Daniel, and with the power of hope, humility, and wisdom, he not only thrived, he changed an empire while he was at it. Though he lived thousands of years ago, he has a much to teach us today.

Even in Babylon, God is in control.

In Thriving in Babylon, Larry Osborne explores the “adult” story of Daniel to help us not only survive – but actually thrive in an increasingly godless culture. Here Pastor Osborne looks at:

—Why panic and despair are never from God
—What true optimism looks like
—How humility disarms even our greatest of enemies
—Why respect causes even those who will have nothing to do with God to listen
—How wisdom can snatch victory out of the jaws of defeat

For those who know Jesus and understand the full implications of the cross, the resurrection, and the promises of Jesus, everything changes—not only in us, but also in our world.

My thoughts: I found this to be a wonderful, easy to get through, non fiction book that shows how pertinent the life of Daniel is today. We are all called to flourish in the environment that God has placed us in, and this books helps to equip people to do just that. This book came along at a good time for me, since we are going through some of Daniel in my Scripture study, so this harmonized well with what we have been discussing in the class.
I very much appreciated the author's candor and humor. This is an excellent book for a personal or church library.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Letters from My Father's Murderer

When her father was murdered, Laurie Coombs sought justice and found it.

His murderer now serves two life sentences with no possibility of parole. Yet, despite the swift punishment of the killer, Laurie found herself increasingly full of pain, bitterness, and anger she couldn’t control. After coming to faith, she realized she was being called to seek something infinitely more difficult than justice: forgiveness.

This is an extraordinary true story of grace, mercy, and the redemptive power of God to change lives. The reader is swept along with Laurie as she undergoes the life-changing transformation of becoming a Christian. As she studies Scripture, seeing God redeeming losses and healing deep wounds time and time again, she starts to understand that her own healing would require her to love her enemy in a real, practical way.

Using her incredible correspondence with the man who killed her father, Laurie reveals a compelling journey of transformation, not only in her life, but in the lives of those whom many would call irredeemable.

Letters from My Father’s Murderer is for any audience Christian or secular who

—Craves freedom from the inability to forgive those who’ve caused them harm
—Wants to hear testimony of God’s power in our obedience
—Has experienced pain through other’s sin against them
—Needs to know healing is always possible

The real story here is not primarily about murder and its fallout, but rather about redemption and how far it can reach.

My thoughts: This is an incredible story of God's love and grace, and how freeing forgiveness can be. Laurie's faith called her to do what seemed like the impossible, extend forgiveness to the man who took her father's life. Through their testimony of coming face to face with redemption and it's healing power, Anthony and Laurie have been able to touch the lives of countless people in all walks of life. I thought it was an inspiring, heartbreaking story.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Where Treasure Hides

Artist Alison Schuyler spends her time working in her family’s renowned art gallery, determined to avoid the curse that has followed the Schuyler clan from the Netherlands to America and back again. She’s certain that true love will only lead to tragedy—that is, until a chance meeting at Waterloo station brings Ian Devlin into her life. Drawn to the bold and compassionate British Army captain, Alison begins to question her fear of love as World War II breaks out, separating the two and drawing each into their own battles. While Ian fights for freedom on the battlefield, Alison works with the Dutch Underground to find a safe haven for Jewish children and priceless pieces of art alike. But safety is a luxury war does not allow. As time, war, and human will struggle to keep them apart, will Alison and Ian have the faith to fight for their love, or is it their fate to be separated forever?

My thoughts: I just couldn't pass this book up, between it's gorgeous cover and compelling synopsis! Not to mention, I find stories set in WWII interesting, since it was a horrible time, and yet hope and courage blossomed. The author does a fabulous job of causes such a complex time in history to come alive, centering her story on facts about WWII that aren't as well known. The story is well developed and hard to put down! I thought that the characters were well developed as well. If you are looking for a book that will be hard to put down, then this is a book for you.;)
I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

Mind of Her Own

Who knew making dinner could change your life? Louisa Copeland certainly didn’t. But when the George Foreman grill fell out of the pantry onto her head, resulting in a bump and a mighty case of amnesia, Louisa’s life takes a turn for the unexpected. Who was this Collin fellow, claiming she was his wife? And whose kids are those? Her name couldn’t be Louisa. Why, she was the renowned romance writer Jazz Sweet, not a Midwestern mom of three. Struggling to put the pieces together of the life she’s told she had, Louisa/Jazz may realize that some memories are better left alone.

My thoughts: What would happen if you lost all your memories, which in turn, lead to your secrets being exposed? When Louisa Copeland hits her head, she wakes up convinced that she is the author Jazz Sweet. Or, is she Jazz Sweet? As she tries to figure out who she really is and what to do about the people surrounding her who are suppose to be her family, Louisa/Jazz's secrets start coming out.
I loved this story! It is a fun, interesting one that makes readers think. I love that Collin finds his wife's journals, which leads him to discover a whole new side to his wife that he never knew. The romance is sweet and I enjoyed the character development. Two thumbs up!
I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

The Broad Fork

From James Beard Award winner Hugh Acheson comes a seasonal cookbook of 200 recipes designed to make the most of your farmers' market bounty, your CSA box, or your grocery produce aisle.
In The Broad Fork, Hugh narrates the four seasons of produce, inspired by the most-asked question at the market: "What the hell do I do with kohlrabi?" And so here are 50 ingredients--from kohlrabi to carrots, beets to Brussels sprouts--demystified or reintroduced to us through 200 recipes: three quick hits to get us excited and one more elaborate dish. For apples in the fall there's apple butter; snapper ceviche with apple and lime; and pork tenderloin and roasted apple. In the summer, Hugh explores uses for berries, offering recipes for blackberry vinegar, pickled blueberries, and raspberry cobbler with drop biscuits. Beautifully written, this book brings fresh produce to the center of your plate. It's what both your doctor and your grocery bill have been telling you to do, and Hugh gives us the knowledge and the inspiration to wrap ourselves around produce in new ways.

My thoughts: This book came at the perfect time for us! We have a lot of vegetables (and fruits) coming out of our garden right now, so I am loving the chance to try some new recipes. I love that this book has both common vegetables and some uncommon ones, since we grow some different varieties. I like that most of the recipes are easier to make, and call for a lot of basic ingredients. I'm the kind of cook who doesn't plan a menu ahead, so it is nice to have recipes that don't require a lot of planning ahead of time (though, I am trying to change this about myself and actually plan a menu, so I only shop once a week). This cookbook is a fun one if you like to garden, enjoy farmers markets, or belong to a CSA (or, all three!).
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.