this was an excellent recounting of one man's story as a survivor if the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II. it is one of those books whose subject matter is difficult to read, but so necessary in order bto educate ourselves on our history and remind ourselves that our nation's freedom comes at a great cost. The book is very easy to read, written in the voice of the author and survivor himself as if he were sitting across the table sharing his story. The most amazing part of the book is how he recounts how his faith in God sustained him throughout. He gives glory completely to God for his surviving the experience and for their miraculous rescue. I would recommend this book as one of those books that, while one may struggle reading the atricities the survivors suffered, you will be uplifted by the strength provided by God to endure despite the circumstances and to continue to give Him glory throughout the author's life.

This was a really enjoyable book placed in the times of the Holocaust. These books are always hard to read but I really enjoy and feel that its necessary to understand what went on in those times. While the author is very clear that the events in the book are fictional, she does state that the suffering of the Jewish people in the camp is true to history, and I think she does a good job at portraying that without being incredibly graphic. The book follows the main character of Stella and is a story based on the story of Esther in the Bible. Stella is a Jew in Dachau concentration camp but was taken with false papers showing her as Aryan. Aric, the new commander of a different camp, sees Stella and is drawn to her strength despite the circumstances and finding the inconsistency in her paperwork, frees her from the camp and gives her the position of his secretary. She travels with him to the new camp and finds her uncle Morty there, and also becomes attached to the Jewish houseboy Aric "saved" from the camp. She feels torn between her new feelings for Aric, who seems unlike other SS officers, and her loyalty to her people, and risks her own safety to help save some of her people. The parallels between the story of Stella and the story of Esther are obvious, and the author includes a verse from the book of Esther at the beginning of each chapter to help guide the reader in those parallels. The story of Stella is interesting enough without adding the twist of the similarities to the book of Esther, but it is an interesting comparison. The story and characters drew me in and I couldn't for the life of me figure out how Stella would succeed at being the Jews' "salvation" as they call her. The ending was a satisfying twist. I'd recommend this book to romance and intrigue readers as well as those interested in the Holocaust in a less graphic description. For hardcore studiers of the Holocause it may not give anything very new but its a great intro to the Holocaust for those not as well read on it, or who prefer not to read the more distressing graphic accounts. I appreciated that the author took the time at the end to discuss the fact and fiction of the novel.

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book about Juliette, the youngest in a boistrous French Italian family of restauranteurs. It follows her desperate attempt to end her loneliness by attempting online dating, her struggles with her career as a food writer that she loves/hates, her love of food and cooking and her intense family. It is a story about new love, the dynamics of family and of course food. Throughout the book, Juliette attempts to discover why her late grandmother had a photo of a young man (who is not her grandfather) hidden away in the inside of a dust jacket on a well used cookbook, and why this young man looks just like one of her brothers. I enjoyed Juliette's family quite a bit, and think books on her siblings could be interesting as well. However, they will have to wait, as I realized, as the book ended quite quickly that this is almost definitely the first in a series on Juliette's story. The authors answers just barely enough of the stories raised in this book that it is almost satisfying on its own. Juliette finds some answers about her grandmothers story, amd reverses a hasty decision about her own, but there is so much left to tell in those two storylines as well as in the storylines begun about her family. I was switching devices as I was beginning (what I was surprised to find out was) the last chapter! I really thought I had at least a quarter to the book to go. That is really my only criticism of the book, that it really seems like a large book split in two that is just not quite satisfying enough to stand on its own. I love book series, but much prefer when the individual books can be read on their own. This is a Christian novel, though it really is not overwheming or attempt to be spiritually inspirational or evangelistic as some Christian novels are. the characters' faith shows through at different points as the offer to pray for each other or pray in the midst of turmoil to find peace, etc. While I think Christian readers of fiction or romance will enjoy this, I think it could be enjoyed by non-Christians who enjoy clean novels as well.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness and love. The idea of a story about a fashion model didn't instantly draw me in, but as soon as I started reading I was hooked. The author does an excellent job developing the characters and showing their inner turmoil and fears. Ivy is a NYC model at the end of her ten year run of fame. She desperately takes a job from her stepmother to model her wedding gown designs for a photo shoot and charity fashion show. On the outside, Ivy is a gorgeous successful woman, but on the inside she feels unloved and unwanted, due both to the last ten year of being treated as an object of beauty and lust as well as to growing up the product of adultery, ignored completely by her father and finally removed from her mother's home as her mother retreats into alcohol, drugs and depression after Ivy's father cuts off the relationship. The author writes beautifully and Ivy's transformation in the small town is so well done and believable. I love that the characters of faith in this story, her stepmother Marilyn, and Davis and Sara her nephew and niece, while believing in Christ's power and love, also have issues in their lives and I love that the author allows Ivy in her brokenness to be instrumental in their healing as well. Despite the fact that Ivy is the child of her husband and his mistress, Marilyn has always felt God calling her to love Ivy as a daughter and she lives that calling despite the fact that Ivy doesn't see it and responds negatively to her. Ivy's redemption and the redemption of these relationships in her lives was moving. All these main characters have struggled through so much: guilt, blindness, infidelity,rejection. Marilyn makes a powerful statement that really impacted me in my personal life. She says, "God's not in the business of pampering His children. He's in the business of perfecting them."

This book is one that I will lend freely, but will always have a spot on my shelf. While there is romance, I'd say its not specifically a romance novel; it is a novel about the redemptive power of Christ and the freedom we can have in Him.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent novel. The book follows Laura (after some reminiscing about experiences in her youth) as she returns to her hometown to get her mother's affairs in order after her death. Laura finds out that there are rumors that her father, a Vietnam Vet with PTSD, who was to have drowned in a lake ten years prior, may not be dead and has been surviving in the mountains. She spends time with her old friends, Carrie, who is like a sister to her, and ex-boyfriend Sean as she tries to determine whether the rumors are true. I definitely was engaged in the book and couldn't wait to find out whether the rumors were true and what was going to happen! The book has quite a few twists and turns and is more of a book about the relationships in the story than a mystery book, though there is a bit of that as well. I really enjoyed this book and cried my eyes out at the end. The only criticism for me, is the fact that Laura gives up her relationship with Sean because she can't imagine having his abusive father as a father in law. It seemed slightly unbelievable that, even though she obviously loved him, and still has feelings for him, she can't see past this point and wonders what genetics would affect their children despite the fact that Sean is a wonderful, loving, kind man who has obviously overcome his upbringing. This is a Christian novel, though it is not at all overwhelming and rarely discussed; It actually seemed like a very minor point in the story which is actaully a bit of a second criticism. I think that anyone enjoying clean romance/mystery would enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.