Tag: #BookReviews

When We Could Not See The Moon

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

THE MESSAGE CAME AT MIDNIGHT

Jon and Tracy Willems had been counting the hours since they had heard from their daughter Hanna after her plane touched down in Egypt. As every parent knows, a message at midnight is never the one you want to receive.

Mom, give me a call when you wake up in the morning.

Only the message wasn’t from Hanna. It was from her younger sister, the last person Hanna had visited with before embarking on her journey to Egypt. Tracy did not wait until morning to make the call. She would not sleep again that night. She would not sleep well for many more.

When Jon and Tracy Willems’ daughter Hanna ventured across the world for what was supposed to be an exciting year of working abroad in Egypt, things quickly took an unexpected turn, and the family found themselves in the middle of a waking nightmare.

Falsely apprehended at customs for suspected drug trafficking, Hanna was placed in an Egyptian jail under unthinkable conditions with no tether to the outside world. As Jon and Tracy struggled to put together the pieces of where their daughter had gone and what horrible fate might await her, Hanna sat thousands of miles away in a crowded and filthy cell. So began Jon and Tracy’s fight for their daughter’s freedom. But they were not alone.

What could have easily been a story of a family’s hardship and terror is instead a story of God’s grace during their most trying days. At its core, When We Could Not See the Moon is about a family cast in darkness in the midst of an unimaginable situation. It’s a story of how faith united people across the world and worked through them to provide a guiding light throughout the journey.

Though names, locations, and other key elements have been changed or fictionalized to protect those who worked so fiercely to bring Hanna home, the Willems’ story is otherwise entirely based in fact. Encompassing the perspectives of parents Jon and Tracy Willems, sister Taylor, and Hanna herself, this harrowing true story captures all the defining characteristics of humanity: despair, distrust, and suffering but also faith, hope, compassion, and community. Dynamic and engaging with excerpts from the journal Hanna kept throughout this unbelievable series of events, When We Could Not See the Moon will speak to parents, people of faith, warriors for justice—and anyone who finds themselves lost in the dark, desperately searching for the light.

BOOK REVIEW

This is a compelling story of a young woman who is falsely imprisoned, how she deals with her captivity, and how her family fights for her the whole time.

Told from the points of view of Hanna, her parents, and her sister, this book shows all sides of the fight to get her out of prison. Some entries from Hanna’s journal are also included. The book, in addition to highlighting the corrupt justice system of some countries, shows the faith of a family that leans on God in a dark time. Hanna’s experiences with the other prisoners and how they survived together are fascinating.

WHEN WE COULD NOT SEE THE MOON is well-written and conveys a strong message of faith through adversity. Recommend.

I received a free PDF of this book. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE

Book Tour and Review: The Seamstress of Acadie by Laura Frantz

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

As 1754 is drawing to a close, tensions between the French and the British on Canada’s Acadian shore are reaching a fever pitch. Seamstress Sylvie Galant and her family–French-speaking Acadians wishing to remain neutral–are caught in the middle, their land positioned between two forts flying rival flags. Amid preparations for the celebration of Noël, the talk is of unrest, coming war, and William Blackburn, the British Army Ranger raising havoc across North America’s borderlands.

As summer takes hold in 1755 and British ships appear on the horizon, Sylvie encounters Blackburn, who warns her of the coming invasion. Rather than participate in the forced removal of the Acadians from their land, he resigns his commission. But that cannot save Sylvie or her kin. Relocated on a ramshackle ship to Virginia, Sylvie struggles to pick up the pieces of her life. When her path crosses once more with William’s, they must work through the complex tangle of their shared, shattered past to navigate the present and forge an enduring future.

PRAISE FOR THE SEAMSTRESS OF ACADIE

  • “Frantz’s atmospheric writing is easy to sink into, from the grimness of the disease-riddled voyage to the ethereal Acadian landscape. While William and Sylvie’s romance is a slow burn, there’s a rewarding payoff to this tale of second chances born from tragedy. Frantz’s fans won’t be disappointed.”— Publisher’s Weekly
  • “This book is undoubtably one of the best books I’ve ever read. I loved the faith thread, I loved the light in the darkness theme, I loved the characters, I loved the hope brimming from almost every page. I loved the growth (through every struggle and triumph), and I loved the history embedded into each detail.”— Tasha, The Clean Read Book Club
  • “Fantastic story! The beautiful writing engages the reader from the beginning… Laura Frantz’s books are exceptional because they evoke an abundance of emotions beyond the typical novel. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction readers.”— Milena Bookish, Goodreads

BOOK REVIEW

This is well-researched and moving historical fiction about the forcible removal of the Acadian people from Nova Scotia by the British in 1755. The political climate and the removal itself are well described. The way faith and hope gently shine through even in the dark times is inspiring. The romance between William and Sylvie has to overcome great obstacles and slowly evolves throughout the novel. I learned so much about the removal and forced deportation of the Acadians from Nova Scotia in the 18th Century. The fact that the British stole their lands and belongings and forced them onto ships, causing the death of many, is vividly portrayed. 

I love how faith, history, and romance are woven together in this story. The only slight criticism I have is that the first 15 percent of the book moved a bit slowly. It picks up after that, and absolutely captivated me. The author has a gift for combining meticulously researched history with moving characters and storylines. Devastating, yet filled with hope, this is a time in history you will want to visit. 

My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5 on sites with no half-star option.

I received a free copy of this book from Revell and Austenprose PR via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

AUTHOR BIO

Bestselling, award-winning author, Laura Frantz, has been writing stories since age seven. She is passionate about all things historical, particularly the 18th-century and her novels often incorporate Scottish themes that reflect her family heritage. She is a direct descendant of George Hume, Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire, Scotland, who was exiled to the American colonies for his role in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715, settled in Virginia, and is credited with teaching George Washington surveying in the years 1748-1750. Proud of her heritage, she is also a Daughter of the American Revolution. Though she will always consider Kentucky home, she and her husband live in Washington State.

According to Publishers Weekly, “Frantz has done her historical homework.” With her signature attention to historical detail and emotional depth, she is represented by Janet Kobobel Grant, Literary Agent & Founder, Books & Such Literary Agency of Santa Rosa, California. Foreign language editions include French, Dutch, Spanish, Slovakian, German & Polish.

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Book Review: Random in Death by J.D. Robb #JDRobb #InDeath #Thrillers #BookReviews

BonnieReadsAndWrites9 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION (FROM PUBLISHER)

In the new crime thriller from #1 New York Times-bestselling J.D. Robb, a small and easily concealed weapon wreaks havoc, and the killer is just a face in the crowd.

Jenna’s parents had finally given in, and there she was, at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A, carrying her demo in hopes of slipping it to the guitarist, Jake Kincade. Then, from the stage, Jake catches her eye, and smiles. It’s the best night of her life.
It’s the last night of her life.

Minutes later, Jake’s in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle—and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas.

After everyone on the scene is interviewed, lab results show a toxic mix of substances in the victim’s body—and for an extra touch of viciousness, the needle was teeming with infectious agents. Dallas searches for a pattern: Had any boys been harassing Jenna? Was she engaging in risky behavior or caught up in something shady? But there are no obvious clues why this levelheaded sixteen-year-old, passionate about her music, would be targeted.

And that worries Dallas. Because if Jenna wasn’t targeted, if she was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come.

BOOK REVIEW

This book was compelling from beginning to end. The author, as always, does a great job of detailing the crime and the investigation. The futuristic setting only adds to the appeal. The perpetrator is slowly revealed, but their horrible crimes splash across the page immediately from the beginning of the book. As Eve Dallas begins to peel away the layers of this crime, the reader will be transfixed, both by the complexity of the investigation and the potential for more crimes that would surely be coming.

This book is hard to put down.The characters just flame to life, and the personalities of the victims, their friends, and the perpetrator are so well described.

I listened to the audiobook as well, and the narrator Susan Ericksen portrayed teenagers in such an authentic way. She was also able to expertly convey drama, horror, grief, sadness, and love in such a powerful way.

Eve Dallas’s personal life is subtly layered throughout the book, but never takes over from the crime and investigation.

This thriller is horrifying, enthralling, and captivating throughout. J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) has done it again. She has created another quality book that keeps us all mesmerized. 

I received a free copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

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