Category: book review

January 28, 2022

The Healing of Natalie Curtis Book Review

Author Jane Kirkpatrick weaves a lyrical tale based on a true story in The Healing of Natalie Curtis that will keep readers captivated to the very end.

About The Healing of Natalie Curtis

Classically trained pianist and singer Natalie Curtis isolated herself for five years after a breakdown just before she was to debut with the New York Philharmonic. Guilt-ridden and songless, Natalie can’t seem to recapture the joy music once brought her. In 1902, her brother invites her to join him in the West to search for healing. What she finds are songs she’d never before encountered–the haunting melodies, rhythms, and stories of Native Americans.

But their music is under attack. The US government’s Code of Offenses prohibits American’s indigenous people from singing, dancing, or speaking their own languages as the powers that be insist on assimilation. Natalie makes it her mission not only to document these songs before they disappear but to appeal to President Teddy Roosevelt himself, who is the only man with the power to repeal the unjust law. Will she succeed and step into a new song and a new future?

My Thoughts

Natalie is a young woman caught in time – she was once a classically trained pianist on her way to her debut when a breakdown and illness halted her career and life for her in general. Now she finds herself at home, forcing herself to get up and carry on with life but not really living. Her brother, who he himself had made his way to the West to find himself, encourages her to come visit him and this is where her story really begins.

Natalie not only finds physical healing, capturing a portion of her strength and love of life – she finds such beauty not only in the natural environment but the amazing people she meets. She finds the power of music again when she meets the Indigenous community in this area and the music and dancing of their people. But she is also confronted first hand with the unjust and terrible laws that are tearing apart and destroying the Indigenous community. She is a first hand witness to the cruelty of the laws that are not only taking away their rich culture but an attempt to erase them from history. Natalie at first does not know how to help but she knows there is something she must do. She uses her position to push the importance of preserving the Indigenous way of life – their music, their history and culture and language. She devotes her time to establishing trust and recording the songs, dance and stories of the people (there were so many Indigenous people that she worked so hard to try to capture) but in a way that ensured it was their voice speaking and that she did not add her own influence and voice.

I enjoyed this story and while it did speak to Natalie and the work that she did, it also told the powerful story of the Indigenous people, what they suffered at the hands of the government and ensured that this story was at the fore front. It is a truly special story.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling and award-winning author of 40 books, including Something Worth Doing, One More River to Cross, Everything She Didn’t Say, All Together in One Place, A Light in the Wilderness, The Memory Weaver, This Road We Traveled, and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the prestigious Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center. Her works have won the WILLA Literary Award, the Carol Award for Historical Fiction, and the 2016 Will Rogers Gold Medallion Award. Jane divides her time between Central Oregon and California with her husband, Jerry, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Caesar. Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 28, 2022

A Deep Divide Book Review

In A Deep Divide, with her past behind her, she has nothing — and everything — to lose.

About A Deep Divide

After being kidnapped as a child, heiress Emma Grace McMurray has seen firsthand the devastation that greed causes in the world, and she wants nothing to do with it. When she discovers her father has offered her up as a bargaining chip to expand his empire, she disappears into the night. Determined to stay hidden, even if it means always looking over her shoulder, she finds herself working as a Harvey Girl at the El Tovar Hotel.

When Ray Watkins arrives at the hotel on business, he is immediately captivated by the beauty of the Grand Canyon. Though his fame-seeking father aims to lure new investors to the Arizona Territory, Ray dreams of one day taking over the family business and doing good with the profits.

Ray immediately admires Emma Grace, and though an attraction begins to form, she can’t let go of the deep-rooted fear that he’s just like every other wealthy man she’s known. When suspicious activity follows Emma Grace and Ray to the El Tovar, they are pulled into a mystery that stirs up their worst fears. And as shocking revelations come to light, they are left to question all they thought to be true.

My Thoughts

Emma Grace is a girl on the run from her past – a past so many would envy from the outside, until they learn the truth of her family, greed and the importance of money over family.

At a very young age, Emma Grace had to learn the hard way that money and power mean more to the world to her Father then even her and the love of family. Despite the wealth and privilege she has, she escapes in the middle of the night and never looked back. While she finds employment that she loves, she is constantly on the run – never allowing herself a break, never allowing herself a friend or ever allowing her guard down. She changes everything about herself to ensure that no one will know her past, mostly out of fear for her own life.

All of this changes when she arrives at the Grand Canyon. Whether it is the sheer beauty of the Grand Canyon in all of its glory and power, or out of exhaustion, Emma Grace learns to trust again. She finds friendship for the first time in a long time, and you find your heart aching for her. You want her to know her worth and that she deserves such a beautiful future, one that is as kind, full of love and patience just like her. When she meets Ray, he is so much like her in his views on society and money, it almost feels to good to be true. You want her to trust him, but you can also understand why she would hold a part of herself back. The story takes quite the turn, when her past collides with the present for better or for worse. She finds herself at a crossroads – she must either walk away or finally confront her past in order to move forward with her future.

I loved every moment of this special story, and would love to see a part two to Emma Grace’s story. I fell in love with her character and her journey through healing, trusting again and overcoming fear and uncertainty to embrace our future. A definite must read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than twenty-five fiction and nonfiction books including The Heart of Alaska series and The Treasures of Nome series. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-nine-plus years have two adult children. She loves the gift of story and is passionate about music and Bible study. You can connect with Kimberley on her website www.kimberleywoodhouse.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 28, 2022

After She Falls Book Review

In After She Falls, she’s always had that fire in her. She just needs to find it again.

About After She Falls

Strong-willed Adri Rivera nearly achieved her goal of being a professional mixed martial artist, but then she fell in love with a man who knocked all the fight out of her. When their abusive, tumultuous relationship finally comes to a head, Adri flees with their young daughter to her small hometown in the mountains of Pennsylvania. There, she must face the people she left behind and put her broken life back together again.

A hardened Max Lyons can’t believe Adri is back in town after abruptly cutting him and everyone else off years ago. Despite the distance that grew between them, he feels compelled to help her regain her independence and offers her a job at his gym. But regaining each other’s trust is another matter, made even more complicated by the lingering spark between them. As Adri dares to pursue her dream again, she trains for a big tournament with Max’s help, but they’ll both have to confront their own doubts in order to rise victorious.

My Thoughts

After She Falls is an amazing tale of strength, healing and growth as Adri leaves her abusive husband in order to salvage a life for her and her daughter in the town she grew up in. She finds a lot of her healing back fighting – something her heart and mind never gave up on.

Adri is an incredible character who landed on hard times. At a very young age, she met and fell in love with a man who was not all he seemed to be. He pulled her away from her family, friends and everything she loved after she fell pregnant with their child. Adri did everything she could to keep her family together, until enough was enough. She flees their home with their daughter and returns to her hometown and the man who raised and loved her. While she wants to move on with her life, when she comes in contact with an old friend (and flame) and martial arts – she knows the only way to move forward is to complete all of the things that she had left undone. This is true for not only her martial arts but also her relationships.

While this novel could be triggering for some individuals, I do feel it has a very strong message for readers. While her husband did everything he could to control Adri and make her feel no sense of control or worth, once she left him Adri learned how strong she truly was. She learns to let go of her past, things she could not change or control and move forward. She learns to not only love herself but she learns to love and trust in others again. She also finds her strength in competing, allowing herself to dream big and train hard. After She Falls is a powerful story of faith, strength and courage.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Carmen Schober is a debut novelist, wife, full-time mother to two daughters, avid boxer, and Rocky enthusiast. A graduate of Kansas State University, where she earned a master’s degree in English literature and creative writing, she currently lives in Manhattan, Kansas. She has published sports fiction in Witness magazine and Hobart Pulp, and she regularly blogs about faith, family, and fighting. Learn more at www.carmenschober.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

January 28, 2022

Every Word Unsaid Book Review

In Every Word Unsaid, slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

About Every Word Unsaid

Augusta Travers has spent the last three years avoiding the stifling expectations of New York society and her family’s constant disappointment. As the nation’s most fearless–and reviled–columnist, Gussie travels the country with her Kodak camera and spins stories for women unable to leave hearth and home. But when her adventurous nature lands her in the middle of a scandal, an opportunity to leave America offers the perfect escape.

Arriving in India, she expects only a nice visit with childhood friends, siblings Catherine and Gabriel, and escapades that will further her career. Instead, she finds herself facing a plague epidemic, confusion over Gabriel’s sudden appeal, and the realization that what she wants from life is changing. But slowing down means facing all the hurts of her past that she’s long been trying to outrun. And that may be an undertaking too great even for her.

My Thoughts

Augusta (Gussie) is everything a young lady should not be and should not do. And I loved every moment of it. She pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable for a young lady in New York society hiding under an anonymous name as a columnist. While her family does not really approve of her adventures, they don’t stop her until her last adventure puts her in the middle of a huge scandal. Gussie finds herself at a crossroads – should she stay and conform or follow her heart? Of course she follows her heart, all the way to India!

I love Gussie’s character but a part of my heart is sore for her. She fights back at a system that is meant to hold her back all the while it feels like she is running from herself. She is always holding back just a bit, never truly believing in her own gifts and while she breaks the molds from what society feels a lady should fit in – she allows herself to fit into the box of what a female journalist should do and write about. She is a very passionate young woman, with a kind and loving heart – she sees the good in others and people are attracted to her light. She is a person who truly cares of others, but struggles to see her own worth. She wants to love and share love with her childhood friend, but we watch as she finds it hard to come to terms on how to love someone and still chase her own dreams (can she really have both worlds??).

Every Word Unsaid is a beautifully written story that I could not put down. I loved the characters, the changing scenes, and the plot was fantastic as it unfolded piece by piece. It is a story of finding oneself, forgiveness and growth. It is a definite must read!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn’t mind. Learn more at www.kimberlyduffy.com.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

November 8, 2021

Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child

“If you have lost a child, you know you’re weathering the largest storm life can bring you. I hope that my words of loss, tears, punches, smiles, friendships, and renewed happiness can give you a sense of not being along on this journey.”

About Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child

Maria Hopfgarten’s son Jacob was born on January 31, 2006. He was the most perfect baby boy she had ever seen. But Jacob had devastating health issues, culminating in a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, a fatal condition.

In the ten short years of Jacob’s life, Maria found strength in blogging about Jacob’s life. Her raw, honest posts from the year after Jacob’s passing have been gathered into this book along with Maria’s tips for parents coping with their own grief after losing a child.

My Thoughts

I am an incredibly sensitive and emotional person, and while I couldn’t put this book down – my boys found me two mornings in a row crying as I was reading this very powerful book.

I love working with children – they have such an innocence and beautiful way of seeing the world. I worked in Family Medicine for ten years and working with children during this time was a blessing to me, hearing that first heart beat, or watching a child grow at their well child visits, holding their hand when they were scared during stitches or listening to their stories of how they broke their arm. It felt a privilege to be a part of their live for that small moment in time and that they trusted you with these feelings. So often, we can get so caught up in ‘life’ that we forget what a special gift life actually is. And how quickly things can change and be taken away from us.

While I cannot comment on this book from a grieving parent viewpoint, as a parent I can tell you how this book made me feel. I don’t think any parent is ready for a diagnosis that will change their child’s life and their own life as they know it. We take for granted good health and the dreams that we have for our children. Grief is so overwhelming and powerful, we all experience grief in different ways but it is also one of the hardest things to talk about.

Maria shares in her story how wonderful Jacob was – his sense of humour, his relationships with his sister and peers, his time spent at school, his trip to Disney all in the context of his health conditions that ultimately led to his passing. I loved how she shared these intimate details that I am sure were difficult to share but so important, too often we see the patient as a patient and not for the incredible, strong person that they are. It was special reading the beautiful stories of Jacob, his sister, family and the impact he had on those around him in his ten years.

From the very beginning of the story, Maria shared the importance of living and cherishing each moment. I find I am very guilty of not always being present, especially in these last two years dealing with COVID and my own mental health. It is something that personally touched me, the importance of slowing down and living in each and every moment. While Maria may have had to live in each moment due to how quickly things could change for Jacob, this is so important for all to take a step back and use as a guide. I appreciated the personal guidance and tips that Maria shared at the end of each entry for parents as they struggle to cope with their grief and the things that helped her and her family. Maria did not encourage a one size fits all approach, instead she offered several solutions that aided her and offered suggestions on what others could do.

This is an incredibly touching and powerful story of love, grief and how one family has coped with the passing of a very special young man. While a great support book for grieving parents, I think this would be a great book for parents to read as well.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Maria Hopfgarten began her blog Moments with Jacob in 2009, writing about Jacob’s life with mitochondrial disease. She had followers around the globe. Maria continued to write blog posts to Jacob after he passed in 2016 to make sense of the loss of her son. Jacob was 10 years old. She has now turned part of the blog into the book “Letters to Jacob,” sharing her raw, honest first-hand experience on grieving the loss of a child.

Maria is the President of the non-profit Miracles for Mito and has been supporting families living with mitochondrial disease for over a decade. She has also been an active Parent Partner at Children’s Hospital Colorado and has been a Parent voice for many chronically ill children. Maria also sits on the Patient Safety Committee of the Board at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Originally from Sweden and with a degree in Journalism from Stockholm University, Maria lives with her husband Joakim, daughter Sarah, and rescue dog Max in Colorado. Her favorite thing to do is to share a good cup of coffee or glass of wine with a friend. Maria loves the outdoor and is always up for a bike ride or hike.

You can connect with her on her website, Facebook and Instagram.

The Giveaway

Enter to win a copy of Letters to Jacob: Grieving the Loss of a Child here.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed are my own.