The Secret in Belfast

The city of Belfast in 1911 bustles with activity. The RMS Olympic is about to set out on her first sea voyage, and the RMS Titanic is sliding off her dry dock into the channel for the first time.

However, Lord Pirrie and Thomas Andrews have other things on their mind… a robbery without anything missing, a mysterious child with a sadistic gift, and a secret hidden for decades threatens to overshadow the success of the shipyard. And when a dockside accident amid the roar of the watching crowd reveals a greater threat among the workers of Harland & Wolff, they have no choice but to rely on an old friend for assistance.

Richard Pierce falls into an unimaginable world of spiritual intrigue and ghosts from the past that may force him to bring his own secrets to light, as he haunts the shipyard in search of answers, confronts the demons of his past, and faces an eventual journey across the icy North Atlantic.

My thoughts: Speculative fiction and the RMS Titanic? Yes please! I've been interested in the Titanic since high school, so I just had to read this book (especially since Charity is quickly becoming a favorite author!) to see how the two would mesh. I very much enjoyed it! The characters are a combination of historical figures famous for being on board the Titanic and fictional creations. I love the spiritual themes in the story, the conversations about religion and gifts were thought provoking. I think that is one of the things that I appreciate the most about Charity's books, she doesn't shy away from difficult conversations on Christianity. A lot of "Christian fiction" sticks with the artificial, so I appreciate when an author dives deeper.
I highly recommend this story!
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.

Join us for a Facebook party on May 5th!

 

A female bodyguard plus her star NFL client plus danger equals a great recipe for romance! Her One and Only, book four in Becky Wade's Porter Family novels, releases May 3. To celebrate, Becky is hosting an author chat party on her Facebook page on May 5 at 5 PM PDT/8 PM EDT. Join Becky for an evening of book chat with other bookworms and prizes.



Plus a portion of all pre-sales and sales the release week of Her One and Only will be donated to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. For more details on how to purchase a copy, click here.

About the Book

After ten years in the NFL, super star Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?




Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt–none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she’s determined to find Gray’s stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.




Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they’ll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives — and their hearts — to one another.




Learn more and purchase a copy.

Hunting Hope

At twenty, Nika Maples learned that when hope was all she had, she claimed it boldly while defying all odds to recover from a devastating stroke. The lessons from that struggle are powerful and universal, and she shares those lessons in her new book, Hunting Hope. Doctors warned that she had as little as 48 hours to live, and—if she lived at all—she would never walk or talk again. There was no hope on the horizon. So Nika started to hunt for it. Today, she not only walks, but she speaks to audiences everywhere about the power of hunting hope when a situation appears hopeless. She says hope remains camouflaged in the daily mundane. If we are not looking for it, we will miss it, though it is right before our eyes.
Hope is not an accident. Sometimes it has to be hunted, and hunting it takes courage.

Hope hunters know how to excavate hope from hardship. There is dirt underneath their fingernails and sweat on their shirts. They rake through the rubble of an unwanted situation, digging into difficult circumstances because they have come to expect that adversity will produce good. They believe that light always triumphs over darkness. They have learned to walk through winter with their eyes on spring.

Nika Maples became a hope hunter after suffering a massive brainstem stroke that left her quadriplegic in her twenties. Doctors warned that she had as little as 48 hours to live, and-if she lived at all-she would never walk or talk again. There was no hope on the horizon. So Nika started to hunt for it. Today, she not only walks, but she speaks to audiences everywhere about the power of hunting hope when a situation appears hopeless. She says hope remains camouflaged in the daily mundane. If we are not looking for it, we will miss it, though it is right before our eyes.

Whether you or someone you know is going through a situation that feels hopeless, you will find encouragement in Hunting Hope. Whether you are experiencing a medical trauma, a financial hardship, or a relational crisis, you will find empowerment in Hunting Hope. As you read, you will cling to 20 truths about God’s character and practice 5 daily disciplines that will develop your own character in crisis.

You will become a hope hunter.

Maybe it doesn’t matter what causes suffering in our lives as much as it matters what suffering causes in our lives. Maybe we were all meant to be hope hunters.

My thoughts: I loved this book! Nika has an incredible story of heartache and pain, and how hunting for hope helped her overcome. I really appreciated how open and honest she is in her book, and I love that she writes about her struggles in a real way, since I think some books on pain and finding hope amidst it can be hard to catch the message. I think the fact that Nika went through her situation makes her one to really listen to.
This book is excellent!
I received this book from Worthy in exchange for my honest review.

A Flight of Arrows

October 1776--August 1777

It is said that what a man sows he will reap--and for such a harvest there is no set season. No one connected to Reginald Aubrey is untouched by the crime he committed twenty years ago.

Not William, the Oneida child Reginald stole and raised as his own. Identity shattered, enlisted in the British army, William trains with Loyalist refugees eager to annihilate the rebels who forced them into exile. Coming to terms with who and what he is proves impossible, but if he breaks his Loyalist oath, he'll be no better than the man who constructed his life of lies.

Not Anna, Reginald's adopted daughter, nor Two Hawks, William's twin, both who long for Reginald to accept their love despite the challenges they will face, building a marriage that bridges two cultures.

Not Good Voice and Stone Thrower, freed of bitterness by a courageous act of forgiveness, but still yearning for their firstborn son and fearful for the future of their Oneida people.

As the British prepare to attack frontier New York and Patriot regiments rally to defend it, two families separated by culture, united by love, will do all in their power to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

My thoughts: Lori has done it again! Her stories are masterpieces, as she blends history, suspense, and fantastic characters! I love that she writes about early American history and the relationship that the colonist/early American settlers had with the Native Americans. She doesn't shy away from difficult subjects, but handles them in an excellent way. This is one of those stories that will stick with you long after you finish the final page! It was well worth the wait.:)
I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Take Ten: books that will make you chuckle

I must not read a whole lot of books that are out and out funny, since this topic has been harder for me to come up with titles for. I think I need to remedy that, since I need a good laugh once in a while! So, if you have the chance to leave a comment, be sure to let me know what hilarious books I need to add to my TBR list.;)

1. With This Ring?

By default, I am not generally a fan of novella collections, since I like more character development than most offer. This one was a hilarious collection though!

2. At Love's Bidding

The characters in this book were a lot of fun, and I loved the glimpse into different auction houses of the 1800's.;)

3. One Plus One Equals Trouble

These two and their uncanny predicament! I loved their sparing.

4. My Fair Godmother

Granted, it has been a while since I read this one, but I remember loving it!

5. My Unfair Godmother

The sequel was adorable and funny too.

6. So Not Happening

Again, it has been a while since I read this series, but it made me chuckle!

7. I'm So Sure


8. So Over My Head


9. You Had Me at Goodbye

This one had me in stitches!

10. That's -Not Exactly- Amore

Another great, funny read.

So, there is my list for the week. I had to go back and ways to fill it.;) What books should be on my list?

Simple Pleasures

Young Amish homemaker Marianne Jantzi invites readers into her family’s life on the snowy plains of Ontario.

The mother of four young children and wife of a storekeeper, Jantzi writes about her daily routines and heartfelt faith with equal measures of wit and warmth. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and helping to manage the store take up most hours in her day, but Jantzi finds time to pen columns for the Connection, a magazine beloved by Amish and Mennonite readers across the United States and Canada. Never sugarcoating the frustrations of motherhood, Jantzi tells it like it is, broken washing machine and bickering children and all. But through her busy days, Jantzi finds strength in simple pleasures of family, fellowship with her Amish community, and quiet time with God.

My thoughts: What a fun glimpse into the life of a young Amish family! Marianna Jantzi does a fun job of writing about the every day goings on with her young family and helping to run a shoe store. I like that she offers history and background to some of her stories, not shying away from telling on herself at times.;) I especially appreciated her thoughts on being thankful and how she tries to remember to be thankful for her front door at one point, since it replaced an old one that was tricky and didn't keep the cold out very well.
If you would like an honest look at the life of an Amish family, this is a wonderful book to read!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

A Dream of Miracles

Amish widow Mattie vows never to love again . . . until a suspicious outsider with a shadowy past comes crashing into her fragile world.
Mattie Diener can barely keep it together. A young Amish widow and mother of two young children, she faces the lingering heartbreak of lost love, her son’s mysterious illness, and a torrent of accusations that threaten to undo her.
Bo Lambright is a fast-rising social services investigator whose high-society mother won’t rest until she finds his Mrs. Right. Despite Bo’s worldly success, the raw ache of a shadowy past and a series of unsettling dreams have left him reeling.
When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

My thoughts: It's been a while since I have been truly excited about a book in the Amish fiction section, but this story has broken that stretch of time! A lot of Amish fiction is sweet or filled with drama, but this one was an excellent blend of well developed characters and an interesting plot. I thought it was interesting to explore the idea of an Amish family being under inspection by social workers, since I can imagine that a lot of their way of life would be strange and totally different from what they are used to dealing with. I also enjoyed some of the twists to the story!
If you are looking for an excellent story outside of the norm, then I highly recommend this one!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.