you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
What it’s About:
Uncovering a long-lost family story is the only way to bring her grandmother peace.
Kieran Lucas's grandmother is slipping into dementia, and,
when her memory is gone, Kieran's last tie to the family she barely knows will
be lost forever. Worse, Granny Mac is being tormented by flashbacks of her
mother’s death and the loss of their home.
In 1931, Rosie McCauley's Smoky Mountains home is threatened
by the Tennessee Great Smokies Park Commission as they create a new national
park. But Rosie vows the only way they'll get her land is if they haul her out
in a pine box. When a compromise offers her and her disabled sister the
opportunity to stay for her lifetime, it seems too good to be true.
Ornithologist Benton Fuller arrives to conduct a bird survey
for the park and the two form a tenuous bond. But their friendship broadens a
rift between her and the other mountain folk who are suspicious of any
government connections. Then the discovery of an illegal still in the woods
near her cabin leads to a violent clash between sides that could destroy them
all.
Eighty-five years later, Kieran heads back to the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park to find answers to her great-grandmother's
mysterious death and bring peace to Granny Mac before it's too late. Park
Historian Zach Jensen may be the key to locating both the answers and a
precious family heirloom. But just as in the past, Kieran's needs clash with
government regulations. Will Zach block her from recovering what she needs and
solving this family mystery?
My Thoughts:
I anticipated reading When Stone Wings Fly, and it did
not disappoint. Karen Barnett brings us another wonderful book featuring the
National Parks. This time we find Rosie McCauley in the midst of the creation
of the Great Smoky Mountain’s National Park, with a threat to lose her land.
Benton Fuller, researching for the park system, discovers the place his heart
has longed for. Two generations later, Kieran Lucas wants more than anything to
bring the grandmother she’s longed for a peace in the midst of dementia. As she
searches for that peace, she finds Zach, a kind-hearted man troubled by his
past. Barnett set up a heart-wrenching, yet hopeful story in the midst of the
beautiful Smokies. Grandma Mac’s story weaves together this beautiful tale of determination
and love. Realistic, yet romantic, this story touches the heart in so many ways.
If you enjoy split-time, historical, or romance, I think you’ll enjoy When
Stone Wings Fly. I purchased a copy, and my opinions are my own.
What it’s About:
Little Kiki is an aspiring author and illustrator who weaves daring tales about swashbuckling otters, all-knowing sea cucumbers, and nail-biting rescues from the clutches of gerblins (part gerbil, part goblin). But where do her imagination, creativity, and ideas come from?
My Thoughts:
The Stories of
God (and Kiki) is a delightful
book that focuses on how God created us in His image. Kiki is a writer and
illustrator who understands she may make mistakes in her stories, but God never
will. Amy Domingo’s illustrations are refreshing, colorful, and fun. This is a
great book to share with a child and help them understand God created them to
be themselves, even as He, in his wisdom, created the world. This would be a
great book to use in Sunday School or with a group of children, then
have them write a story and illustrate it. I received a complimentary
copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks for the free
#TheStoriesofGodandKiki @
1 Corinthians 2:9-13
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit
searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s
thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one
knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have
received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what
we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by
the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
Some
things are hard to comprehend. My granddaughter and her friend
In high school, we split into groups according to what we wanted to do after we graduated. I was in the college prep program with specific classes assigned. The school required I take algebra 1 & 2 and geometry. I’m not ashamed to admit, I didn’t enjoy algebra or even begin to understand it. I felt frustrated because I couldn’t wrap my head around the concepts. I struggled through and managed to pass, but I still don’t enjoy math.
Life,
compared to algebra, has proven to be much harder at times, but as a follower
and believer in Jesus, I’ve been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. At times
understanding the supernatural abilities of the Holy Spirit seems out of reach,
yet the Spirit knows me and knows God better than anyone. The Spirit
understands my needs, helps me navigate the world and keeps me on the path God
created for me.
I love the
words in 1 Corinthians 2:9; “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and
what no human mind has conceived—the things God has prepared for those who love
him.” God has revealed through the Spirit the very life He has prepared for me.
It sounds so simple, but without faith is so hard to comprehend. God had given
his followers the Holy Spirit as a guide, a wisdom revealer, a prayer, and a
caretaker. In faith, I trust the Holy Spirit to guide me and whisper to me what
I need to know.
Even though
I don’t understand the supernatural elements of God, Jesus, and the Holy
Spirit, I know the Three-in-One loves me and wants the best for me.
Trust the
Holy Spirit’s lead.
Have you entered yet?
What
it’s About:
Even though secrets lie off the coast of Rock Harbor, the truth will set Annie
Pederson free—if it doesn’t kill her first. Return to the beloved town of Rock
Harbor in the first installment of a new series by bestselling suspense author
Colleen Coble.
Nine-year-old
Annie Pederson’s life changed the night her sister was kidnapped. The two had
been outside playing on a dock, and Annie never forgave herself for her role in
her sister’s disappearance. Twenty-four years later and now a law enforcement
ranger, Annie is still searching for answers as she grieves a new loss: the
death of her husband and parents in a boating accident.
But Annie
and her eight-year-old daughter, Kylie, aren’t the only people in the town of
Rock Harbor whose lives have been marred by tragedy. While managing the
property around the Tremolo Resort and Marina she inherited, Annie discovers a
dead body floating in the cold Superior surf and begins to work with the
sheriff’s office to tie the death to a series of other mysterious reports in
the area.
At the same
time, her first love, Jon Dustan, returns after nine years away, reigniting the
town’s memory of a cold case he’d been suspiciously linked to before he left to
pursue his orthopedic residency. For the sake of her investigation and her
heart, Annie tries to stay away. But avoiding Jon becomes impossible once Annie
realizes she is being targeted by someone desperate to keep secrets from the
past hidden.
In this new
series, bestselling romantic-suspense author Colleen Coble returns to one of
her most beloved towns, where familiar faces—and unsolved cases—await.
My Thoughts:
I enjoyed going back to Rock Harbor and thought the appearances of characters
from Coble’s other Rock Harbor books was a great addition to the story. Coble’s layering
of emotion, experience, and determination creates depth in the characters and
makes the story more intense. Lots of mystery and uncertainty make Edge of
Dusk a true page turner, and without giving anything away, the ending makes
me want the next book in the series now. The setting is beautiful, yet full of
mystery, like another character added to the story. If you enjoy romantic suspense,
you’ll want to read Colleen Coble’s Edge of Dusk. I’ve never read a
Coble book I didn’t like. I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.