“Welcome to the English village of Ivy Hill, where friendships thrive, romance blossoms, and mysteries await. . . .” With these words, celebrated Inspirational Regency Romance author Julie Klassen invites us to step into the world of her first-ever series entitled “Tales from Ivy Hill”. The first book of this much-anticipated new series, “The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill”, released in December of 2016 from Bethany House, with sequels to follow in December of 2017 and 2018. If you have previously enjoyed such memorable Klassen novels as “The Dancing Master” and “The Secret of Pembrooke Park”, let me just say this series is one you won’t want to miss… Continue reading
Christian Historical Fiction
Great Writing + Humor + Mystery = A Delightful Story!
What fun it is to read a novel by a new-to-you author, enjoy the story immensely, and then discover that author has already written numerous other books! This was the case for me with a new Bethany House book entitled “For the Record”, written by Regina Jennings. Set in the fictional town of Pine Gap, Missouri, this book is filled with the unique flavor of Ozark mountain life in the 1880s. Despite the unique setting, however, it still contains all that fans of Inspirational Historical Romances love and expect from their favorite genre. Continue reading
A Unique Story Just in Time for Easter
As the Easter season approaches each year, I enjoy being on the lookout for new stories that highlight the theme of Jesus’ last days on earth. This year I found a story that is told from perhaps the most unique perspective I’ve come across so far – through the eyes of a small, innocent dog! “The Dog Who Was There: A Novel” was written by Ron Marasco and published by Thomas Nelson early in 2017. In this sweet and oh-so-endearing story, a little dog named Barley Continue reading
Cousins of the Dove Book #2
After a lengthy wait, the second book in Harvest House Publishing’s “Cousins of the Dove” series has finally been released! Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould have once again brought to life a fascinating tale which interweaves past and present into one compelling narrative called “My Sister’s Prayer”. Several characters are recurring and many are new, but the story itself is a natural continuation of the previous book entitled “My Brother’s Crown”. If you discovered the intrigue of that first novel, you won’t want to miss the continuing story of book #2! Continue reading
An Unforgettable Story of Faith
Lynn Austin is a master at the art of writing. Her newest Christian Historical Fiction novel from Bethany House to showcase her skills was released in the winter of 2016. “Waves of Mercy” is a sweeping tale of love, loss, and faith that spans multiple generations and captures the hearts and minds of readers from the first page. Continue reading
Book #2 of an Unforgettable Series
I just finished one of the best books I’ve read in 2016, written by my all-time favorite author Michael Phillips. This story will hold a treasured place on my bookshelf, as well as in my heart, always. What book am I referring to? Well, it is the second in a Bethany House series called the “Secrets of the Shetlands”, which began in May 2016 with “The Inheritance”. The newest installment, which I just finished reading, is called “The Cottage”. Finally, the series will be wrapped up next summer with “The Legacy”. (And I can’t wait!) Each of these books is very closely interwoven, and picks up almost immediately after the previous book comes to a close. Continue reading
A Stunning Conclusion to a Remarkable Series
Sigh… I am quite sad. Why? Because one of the most intriguing, compelling and well-written novel series I’ve read in a long time has reached the end. Finished. Over. Forever. Isn’t that tragic? Roseanna M. White’s “Ladies of the Manor” series, published by Bethany House, began a year ago with the release of “The Lost Heiress”, followed this past spring by “The Reluctant Duchess”, and now concluding with “A Lady Unrivaled”. Each of these stories is built upon each other, and the characters, mystery, and basically the entire plot is interwoven very closely. My recommendation is NOT to read these books as stand-alone novels, or out of their proper order, because the full effect of the story will undoubtedly be lost. Continue reading
A Story That Will Stay With You Long After Reaching “The End”
Controversy. Scandal. Desperation. These words were not ones I expected to use when describing the newly released Bethany House book entitled “A Heart Most Certain”, written by new-to-me author Melissa Jagears. The lovely cover image, the series name of “Teaville Moral Society”, and even the back-cover synopsis did not reveal what this book was truly about. While the storyline and plot did surprise me greatly, I was not, however, disappointed in my hope for a wonderful story. It was simply wonderful in unexpected ways. Continue reading
Fascinating Historical Description
I don’t usually recommend picking up a book located in the middle or at the end of a series without having read the earlier stories, but I recently did exactly that… “The Artisan’s Wife” was written by Judith Miller and published by Bethany House in 2016, as the third and final installment in the “Refined by Love” series. Although numerous references were made to the earlier stories (because each book is about a different member of the same family) “The Artisan’s Wife” still stood strong all on its own, and gave just enough explanation to make the recurring characters understandable without re-telling their entire stories! Continue reading
This Sequel Doesn’t Meet Expectations
After reading book #1 in the “Keys of Promise” series by Christine Johnson, I had very high expectations for book #2, “Honor Redeemed”. Were those expectations met? Well, not exactly…
“Honor Redeemed” was published by Revell in the later summer of 2016, and is the sequel to “Love’s Rescue” published the year before. Although the hero and heroine of this second story are newly introduced characters, several recurring characters also play important secondary roles. This gives readers a chance to be reacquainted with “old friends”. Continue reading
Prairie Sky Book Reviews 