Saving Amelia by Cathy Gohke

Book Description:  Increasingly wary of her father’s genetic research, Rachel Kramer has determined that this trip with him to Germany—in the summer of 1939—will be her last. But a cryptic letter from her estranged friend, begging Rachel for help, changes everything. Married to SS officer Gerhardt Schlick, Kristine sees the dark tides turning and fears her husband views their daughter, Amelie, deaf since birth, as a blight on his Aryan bloodline.

Once courted by Schlick, Rachel knows he’s as dangerous as the swastikas that hang like ebony spiders from every government building in Berlin. She fears her father’s files may hold answers about Hitler’s plans for others, like Amelie, whom the regime deems “unworthy of life.” She risks searching his classified documents only to uncover shocking secrets about her own history and a family she’s never known.

Now hunted by the SS, Rachel turns to Jason Young—a driven, disarming American journalist and unlikely ally—who connects her to the resistance and to controversial theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Forced into hiding, Rachel’s every ideal is challenged as she and Jason walk a knife’s edge, risking their lives—and asking others to do the same—for those they barely know but come to love.

My Thoughts:  I love summer and, again, this summer I entered the Tyndale Summer Reading Program.  So glad I did!  As one of my "prizes" I picked this book Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohke.

When I first saw the cover of this book I actually passed it up. Then I went back and read the description and thought it sounded interesting.

When the book arrived it sat on my TBR for a couple of months and then the other day, since I was finished with my last book, I decided to read it.

Well, this is one great read!  As I began reading I first thought the book was going to be about a rich young woman and how she saves a young deaf girl from the Third Reich.  Oh!not!so!  Well, this does come into play but there  is SO much more to this story.

I had to put the book down several time because it IS so intense!  

This book is about life . . .what is our duty to others AND Dietrich Bonhoeffer!  Wow!  

The suspense, the story line, the challenge of one's duty to Christ!  Cathy Gohke pens an incredible, not.to.be put.down story!

This is my favorite read this summer!  

You just gotta read this book . . . it will make you think!  

• Paperback: 464 pages

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

I found this wonderful salad on Pinterest and it is super yummy!

Ingredients

• For Salad:
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 cups mixed greens such as spinach and arugula
• 
  

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, combine all dressing ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Add more water, if necessary.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa, dried cranberries, scallions and mixed greens; gently toss with Caesar dressing to coat.
4. Serve chilled.

Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl by Grace Lundmark

Book Description:  Chloe May's father found his wife's tactics incredulous as she dealt with their impoverished life and her own restlessness. Then came the Depression and the droughts of the Dust Bowl. It took more than their losses, near starvation, and apparent defeat to put a tear in her father's eye. In fact, even the women in the Whitehurst family were seldom reduced to tears-conniving and rash behavior, perhaps, but not to tears! The family knew laughter and fun, balancing heartaches and poverty. Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl is based on the true story of the author's mother, Chloe May, and her family's frequent moves in, around, and out of the Oklahoma Panhandle of the '20s and '30s. Laced with historical facts of the time, Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl is a must read for younger readers wishing for a glimpse into one of America's most difficult eras, and older readers who will identify with one family's modes of survival.

My Thoughts:  WOW! Over 75 years since the Dust Bowl.  My maternal grandmother lived through the Dust Bowl and told numerous stories to my mom and uncle.  When my grandmother passed away my mom wrote a book, Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl, as a tribute to her mother and as a living history for her children and grandchildren.  My mother was invited to Guymon, Oklahoma the weekend of April 2010 to share her story about the Dust Bowl.  She went and met others who had gone through the Dust Bowl and others who wrote about this dark time in history.  Chloe May is a great read!  

If you enjoy Janet Oke you'll also enjoy Grace Lundmark's story of the Dust Bowl! 

Paperback: 212 pages

• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604621397
• ISBN-13: 978-1604621396
• 
  

About the Author:  Grace Lundmark was born and raised in the scorching, but beautiful, deserts of the Southwest. Her father, a Texan/New Mexican, and her mother, an Okie/New Mexican filled her head and heart with their stories of growing up in West Texas and the mountains of New Mexico. Her first novel, "Chloe May: Daughter of the Dust Bowl" is a true-life novel written from the stories her mother told of her family's struggle for survival on the high plains of Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Now living in Texas, the wife, mother, and grandmother of eight, has finally found time to write about the people she has known and admired, in fiction form. She plans to continue writing about the people of the Southwest. 

   Chloe May:  Daughter of the Dust Bowl  may also be purchased at Amazon.

A Mother's Secret (Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel) by Amy Clipston

Book Description:  Carolyn Lapp dreams of marrying for love. But will the errors of her past destroy this dream forever?

Carolyn Lapp longs to have a traditional Amish family. But she lives on her brother’s farm with her parents and her 15-year old son, Benjamin. Carolyn has never revealed the identity of Benjamin’s father and lives daily with the guilt and shame of her youthful indiscretion. Her brother simply will not forgive her.

His answer is to arrange a practical marriage for Carolyn to Saul, a widower with a little girl. But Carolyn isn’t convinced that Saul really loves her and believes he is simply looking for someone to help raise his daughter.

When Benjamin causes trouble at a local horse auction, horse breeder Joshua Glick decides that he must be taught a lesson. Carolyn and Joshua are unmistakably drawn to each other, but Joshua mistakenly assumes that Benjamin is Carolyn’s brother. Carolyn fears that if he discovers the truth, her past will destroy their budding romance.

After years of shame and loneliness, Carolyn suddenly has two men vying for her attention. But which of them will give her the family—and the unconditional love—she’s longed for?

My Thoughts: I love the easy style with which Amy Clipston pens  a novel.  

A Mother's Secret is the second book in the Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel series.

Of course, this is an Amish read!  All about life!

Carolyn has a secret . . . she has never told anyone who fathered her son.  Now her son is fifteen.  And although she lives with her brother on his farm and works hard!her brother has never forgiven her for her youthful indiscretion!  And maybe, just maybe, it seems that her brother resents her son, Benjamin.

As life would have it . . . Benjamin gets in to one "of those" teen moments and causes trouble at a local horse auction.  Carolyn has had a budding romance with Joshua Glick the horse breeder but Joshua thinks that Benjamin is her brother.  Oy vey!  And he seems to be rather harsh in judgment of Benjamin.

Then there is Saul.  Saul is kind hearted and has a young daughter.  Now Carolyn feels torn between two men!

A great romance with a lot go.to.heart "dealings!" 

Love Amish reads and romance?  Then this is the book for you!

• Series: Hearts of the Lancaster Grand Hotel
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan 
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310335817
• ISBN-13: 978-0310335818

{Revell Reads Blog Tour} Deadly Intentions by Lisa Harris

Book Description:  Research scientist Caitlyn Lindsey is convinced that someone is taking out her team one by one. First, a friend and research partner was killed in a home invasion. Three months ago, her boss died in a suspicious car accident. Four days ago, another partner supposedly committed suicide. And now Caitlyn herself has miraculously survived a hit-and-run. Afraid for her life with nowhere to turn, she reaches out to one of the victim's husbands, Detective Josh Solomon.

Though initially skeptical about Caitlyn's theory, Josh soon realizes that the attack that took his wife's life was anything but random. Now the two of them must discover the truth about who is after Caitlyn's team--and what their end game is--before it's too late.

My Thoughts:  Lisa Harris never disappoints when she writes a mystery/suspense/thriller.  This story is o.so.wonderful!

Caitlyn Lindsey's character comes alive in the first chapter when "things" begin happening that aren't suppose to happen.  She feels like someone is also watching her and maybe they are.

At first I wasn't sure about Josh Solomon...well, his character seems a bit weak but that soon changes and one can't help but fall in love with Josh.  He doesn't take on a super personality he just becomes more thoughtful.

As one reads on in the story there a lot of action takes place it seems that there is an under current of "something" happening but the reader can't quite figure out what.

Just when I felt I knew what was going on, well the game changed.

I loved, loved this story!  Great suspense and great mystery combined in one fantastic story of intentions gone haywire.

*This book was provided for review by Revell Reads*

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Revell (August 6, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800729161
• ISBN-13: 978-0800729165

The Yellow Lantern: True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime by Angie Dicken

Book Description:  In 1824, Josephine Clayton is considered dead by everyone in her Massachusetts village—especially the doctor she gas assisted for several months. Yet, she is still very much alive.

After the doctor’s illegal dealing with his body snatcher to obtain her body, Josephine awakens, positioned as the next corpse for his research. To cover up his crime, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. They strike a deal—Josephine will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she’ll await her true mission—posing as a mourner to help the body snatcher procure her replacement.

At the mill though, Josephine is praised for her medical remedies among the other female workers, gaining attention from the handsome factory manager, Braham Taylor. Yet, when Braham’s own loved one becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at all.

My Thoughts:  This is an incredible story.  One that begs to be read.  The reader tries to put the book down but keeps wondering what happened?!?

the Yellow Lantern is not astray for the faint of heart.  Oh, no!  This story is about dead/living people and one young woman's mission to live.

Grave robbing?  When one hears those two words together one van't help but wonder shy would anyone want to see old bones.  Well, it turns out that there is profit to be made from old bones and body snatchers are a breed all their own.

This is the third book in the True Colors "series."  These books don't have to be read in order...they are stand alone mystery/suspense.  And.O.So.Good!

Angie Dickens writes with a scary pen bringing up things that happen in the dark but are brought to light.

I loved this story!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.*

• Series: True Colors
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (August 1, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1643520830
• ISBN-13: 978-1643520834

The Healing Jar (The Prayer Jars) by Wanda Brunstetter

Book Description:  Lenore Lapp is an Amish schoolteacher in her late twenties still living at home with her parents and grandparents. She thought love had passed her by until she meets Jesse Smucker, a widower with a baby daughter. She quickly falls in love with them both and accepts Jesse’s proposal of marriage, but Jesse breaks off their engagement when he realizes he can’t marry only for convenience.

Resigned to living single, Lenore throws herself into caring for her elders. While working in her grandmother’s garden, she digs up an old jar. Will Lenore find healing for her broken heart and solve long-buried family secrets by reading the note contained inside?

My Thoughts:  This third novel in The Prayer Jars by Wanda Brunstetter is my most favorite out of the three.  Probably because it's about a school teacher and healing.  Isn't God good to give us healing?

Lenora Lapp is a loving. sensitive young lady who has much to offer.  So when Jesse Smucker asks her to marry him, even though he is a widower with a baby daughter, Lenora know that she loves Jesse and his sweet little daughter.  So when Jesse breaks their engagement, he breaks Lenora's heart as well.

Lenora decides to forget about love and help her aging grandparents.  Whole working in their garden one day she digs up a jar filled with slips of paper.

This is the beginning of the Healing Jar.  Oh, what a read!  O, What hope and healing!

Mrs. Brunstetter writes with such emotion that the reader feels as if she might be Lenora.

Loved this story!

*This book was provided for review by The Clippity Clop Club*

• Series: The Prayer Jars (Book 3)
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (August 1, 2019)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1624167497
• ISBN-13: 978-1624167492