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The Carols of Christmas – A Guest Review by Hayley

Carols_of_Cristmas_title_imageMusic history buffs rejoice! Andrew Gant has gifted you with a true gem when it comes to the origination of many timeless Christmas masterpieces. The Carols of Christmas, published by Thomas Nelson in 2015, is a wealth of information, right down to the very last detail, on numerous of our favourite Christmas songs.

The amount of time and meticulous research that obviously went into this book is astounding. Mr. Gant is clearly passionate about the history of music, and in this case, Christmas carols. His enthusiasm and attention to every intricate detail is admirable, impressive, and will be appreciated by those who are like-minded.

Although this book deserves praise for the much effort that was evidently put into its writing, I personally Continue reading →

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Charming, Eccentric, and Hopefully the First of a Long Series!

The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade imageI have two words to describe Virginia Smith’s The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade… Utterly charming! It is truly the type of book that creates a strong desire in readers to crawl inside the pages and live there. Permanently. At least that’s how I felt, especially after my feelings of devastation at reaching the final page. With its blend of comedy and quirkiness, wisdom and whimsy, the town of Goose Creek is sure to win your heart, too.

The paramount element of this little book comes in the form of characters who may just as well be your next-door neighbors and friends, for they certainly step beyond the bounds of descriptive words on paper. These characters live and breathe. They have emotions, quirks, and motives. And each one is endearing in a special way.   Continue reading →

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Exciting News: Janette Oke and When Calls the Heart! UPDATED

Please scroll down for updated information…

okeAs most of you reading this probably know, at Prairie Sky Book Reviews we are HUGE fans of all things related to Janette Oke, When Calls the Heart, and Love Comes Softly.  Earlier this year we were thrilled to hear the Hallmark Channel announcement for a forthcoming Season 3 of the When Calls Where Trust Lies imagethe Heart television series in 2016, with a special Christmas movie to air in December.  With that announcement we have been wondering, will Janette Oke and her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan, release a third installment of the Return to the Canadian West series?  For the previous two years, each time Where Courage Callsa new television season was released, a book announcement for Where Courage Calls and then Where Trust Lies soon followed.  So it only makes sense…

Well…  Today we have the answer!  The third book in the series will be entitled Where Hope Prevails, and is scheduled to release in August of next year.  I know, that’s a long time to wait, but isn’t it exciting that our beloved author is still writing, and producing stories for us all to enjoy?  Here is the info about the book, as found on GoodReads:

When Beth Thatcher returns to Coal Valley, she has much to be excited about. She anticipates Jarrick’s proposal of marriage and perhaps a spring wedding. The mine is expanding, and there are more schoolchildren than ever.
But the town’s rapid growth brings many challenges. A second teacher is assigned, and Beth finds herself going head-to-head with a very different philosophy of education–one that dismisses religion and rejects God. Fearful for the children who sit under the influence of Robert Harris Hughes, Beth struggles to know how to respond.
At the same time, Beth wonders if Jarrick is considering a position at her father’s company simply for her sake. Should she admit her feelings on the matter? Or keep silent and allow Jarrick to make up his own mind?

Unfortunately no cover images have yet been released, but stay tuned for updates!  Click HERE to visit the GoodReads page for Where Hope Prevails.  When Calls the Heart

Well, that’s all for now.  I can’t wait to see what is up next for Jack and Elizabeth in both the book series and the television series!  And, I wonder if the synopsis for the upcoming book gives any hint for the upcoming television season…?

 

 

 

UPDATE!

A cover photo of Where Hope Prevails has been released, and it is my favorite in the trilogy!  What to YOU think?  Isn’t her dress lovely, and wouldn’t it be delightful if Elizabeth in the show wore something similar…?Where Hope Prevails image

If you read the description for this book here, it also gives a little bit more information…

Happily it mentions that the book is a TV tie-in, so we can keep our hopes up that the book and upcoming season 3 of our beloved When Calls the Heart do in fact correspond!

Unfortunately, it also includes the fact that this book is the third and FINAL book in the “Return to the Canadian West” series…  I certainly hope that this is not a forecast of the third television season of WCTH being the final one, but I suppose we will have to wait and see – and believe that the stories of Hope Valley will continue for many seasons to come!

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The Story from “Dauntless” Continues…

chivalrous+from+amazonTitle: Chivalrous

Author: Dina L. Sleiman

Publishing House/Publication Date: Bethany House/September, 2015

Genres: Teen Fiction; Christian Fiction; Historical Fiction

Time Period: 1217 (the Middle Ages)

Number of Pages: 365

Series: Book #2 in the “Valiant Hearts” series

You should read this book if… You enjoyed Dauntless, the previous novel in the series! In Chivalrous, it was great fun to discover what happened to various leading and supporting characters in their continuation stories. Continue reading →

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A Tricky Book to Review

The Chase imageThe Chase: Trusting God with Your Happily Ever After is a unique, fun and breezy little book written by a young husband-and-wife duo, and aimed towards an audience of teenage girls and college-age young women. Friendly, Christian-based advice on relationships, romance, and living your own happily-ever-after story are the main cornerstones of purpose for this book. The two perspectives add dimension to the insights and personal stories, but the overall tone remains very light and bubbly… At times so light and bubbly that older members of the target audience may find it slightly juvenile and repetitive.

On the flipside, however, some of the content is arguably too mature for very young ladies, especially in the chapter entitled “Worth the Wait”. Many of the thoughts that Kyle and Kelsey share in this section of the book were, for me, uncomfortable to read and I was disappointed to see a specific word pop up in the sentences over and over again. Of course, I understand that in many circumstances today girls NEED to read insight like this from a Christian viewpoint. However, I have found there to be very few books about relationships available for young women who wish to avoid this topic, and focus instead on how to nurture godly relationships before marriage. I was hoping The Chase might be one of those, but I was sadly mistaken.

Apart from the issue mentioned above, this book DOES contain much in the way of good advice, encouragement, and hope. Certainly Continue reading →

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A Sweeping, Dramatic Saga

The+Lost+Heiress+title

LostHeiress_BethanyTitle: The Lost Heiress

Author: Roseanna M. White

Publishing House/Publication Date: Bethany House/September, 2015

Genres: Christian Historical Fiction; Inspirational Romance; Mystery and Drama

Time Period: 1910

Number of Pages: 448

Series: Book #1 in the ‘Ladies of the Manor’ series

You should read this book if… You enjoy sweeping, dramatic sagas filled with intricate and interwoven storylines. Mystery, romance, and suspense also abound within the pages of this book, making it difficult to put down.

Tone and Mood: While this novel would not be considered a carefree, bright and cheerful novel, neither is it shrouded in darkness and despair all the time. Rather it is a fairly well balanced mixture of both extremes. Heart-pounding action and suspense at various high points complete it as a masterfully told story. Continue reading →

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The Road to Becoming – A Guest Review by Hayley

Jenny Simmons

“The fact that I survive, even grow and thrive in my desert season of lostness has little to do with my own ability to stay alive. It has everything to do with the fact that I am kept alive and sustained by the Giver of Life. It has everything to do with the truth that even when my life seems silent and barren, if there is a heartbeat, then the Great Comforter is present. Is a heartbeat not God’s most basic presence? How can the Giver of Life be non-present if life is present? If there is a heartbeat, there is a God. He dwells within us – who are created in His very image.”

The Road to Becoming imageThis short excerpt is just one of many gems of wisdom you will find in Baker Publishing’s new release The Road to Becoming, by former Addison Road lead singer Jenny Simmons. Her heartfelt, whimsical writing pulls us in like a warm embrace from a long-lost friend, and she continues to hold our hand and walk with us every step of the way, gently encouraging us in our walk with the Lord, and guiding us on our own road to becoming with a depth of understanding that can only come from someone who has been there. Continue reading →

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Exciting News: Janette Oke and When Calls the Heart!

okeAs most of you reading this probably know, at Prairie Sky Book Reviews we are HUGE fans of all things related to Janette Oke, When Calls the Heart, and Love Comes Softly.  Earlier this year we were thrilled to hear the Hallmark Channel announcement for a forthcoming Season 3 of the When Calls Where Trust Lies imagethe Heart television series in 2016, with a special Christmas movie to air in December.  With that announcement we have been wondering, will Janette Oke and her daughter, Laurel Oke Logan, release a third installment of the Return to the Canadian West series?  For the previous two years, each time Where Courage Callsa new television season was released, a book announcement for Where Courage Calls and then Where Trust Lies soon followed.  So it only makes sense…

Well…  Today we have the answer!  The third book in the series will be entitled Where Hope Prevails, and is scheduled to release in August of next year.  I know, that’s a long time to wait, but isn’t it exciting that our beloved author is still writing, and producing stories for us all to enjoy?  Here is the info about the book, as found on GoodReads:

When Beth Thatcher returns to Coal Valley, she has much to be excited about. She anticipates Jarrick’s proposal of marriage and perhaps a spring wedding. The mine is expanding, and there are more schoolchildren than ever.
But the town’s rapid growth brings many challenges. A second teacher is assigned, and Beth finds herself going head-to-head with a very different philosophy of education–one that dismisses religion and rejects God. Fearful for the children who sit under the influence of Robert Harris Hughes, Beth struggles to know how to respond.
At the same time, Beth wonders if Jarrick is considering a position at her father’s company simply for her sake. Should she admit her feelings on the matter? Or keep silent and allow Jarrick to make up his own mind?

Unfortunately no cover images have yet been released, but stay tuned for updates!  Click HERE to visit the GoodReads page for Where Hope Prevails.  When Calls the Heart

Well, that’s all for now.  I can’t wait to see what is up next for Jack and Elizabeth in both the book series and the television series!  And, I wonder if the synopsis for the upcoming book gives any hint for the upcoming television season…?

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Perfect for a Sunny Afternoon – A Guest Review by Hayley

The PhotographIt’s no secret that Beverly Lewis is arguably the best-known author in the Amish fiction genre. And when she gives her readers such a sweet, gentle novel as her newest release, The Photograph, it’s not difficult to see why.

With a graceful storyline set at a relaxed pace, The Photograph introduces us to a sweet new friend, Eva Esch, and the close-knit Amish community she calls home. Pained after losing both her father and her mother, Eva’s tender heart is put to an even further test when her sister secretly leaves The People – for extremely foolish reasons – to join the English way of life. Continue reading →

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An Unconventional Regency Tale

A Noble Masquerade header imageFrom the back cover:

Lady Miranda Hawthorne acts every inch the lady, but inside she longs to be bold and carefree. Approaching spinsterhood in the eyes of society, she pours her innermost feelings out not in a diary but in letters to her brother’s old school friend, the Duke of Marshington. Since she’s never actually met the man she has no intention of ever sending the letters and is mortified when her brother’s mysterious new valet, Marlow, mistakenly mails one of the letters to the unsuspecting duke.

Shockingly, this breach of etiquette results in a reply from the duke that soon leads to a lively correspondence. Insecurity about her previous lack of suitors soon becomes confusion as Miranda finds herself equally intrigued by Marlow, a man she has come to depend upon but whose behavior grows more suspicious by the day. As the secret goings-on at her family’s estate come to light, one thing is certain: Miranda’s heart is far from all that’s at risk for the Hawthornes and those they love. Continue reading →