Author: vicklea

I love to read! I’m a retired teacher with a spouse of 45 years, three amazing children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I am blessed!

Review: THE LADY WITH DARK HAIR by Erin Bartels

On By vickleaIn Book Review1 Comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

ISBN-13:9780800741662. Publisher:Baker Publishing Group. Publication date:03/26/2024. Pages:352

Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella’s greatest work—a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair.

In 1879, Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists’ pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compelled to pose as Vella’s sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen.

This dual-timeline story from award-winning author Erin Bartels takes readers from the sleepy Midwest to the sultry Mediterranean on a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one’s dreams.

My Thoughts

This book is a brilliantly written dual-timeline novel with captivating characters and fascinating research intertwined seamlessly into the story. The present day protagonist is Esther, an art history major who is the head of the family’s museum that promotes a family ancestor, artist Francisco Vella. She is also the caretaker of her mentally ill mother Lorena, quite a quirky and demanding woman. The other part of the story is told in the late 1800’s and is about Viviana, a woman in hiding from justice in Spain while pursuing her interest in art with Vella, a man who is a merchant of art supplies. I was captured by the unselfishness of Esther caring tirelessly for her mother, even though she would like to have her own life. Equally compelling was the story of Viviana as she travels with Vella and finds out that it is not always easy or advisable to travel using an alias. The novel includes a cleverly written mystery about a painting and its origins as well as its artist. “The Lady with the Dark Hair” is a story within a story, cleverly written to reveal details methodically and keeping me glued to the page as I sought answers to the identity of the artist and the outcome of Esther’s life of selflessness. I really enjoyed the pace of the plot because it was perfect to keep me interested. The characters were dynamic and also believable and relatable. The story was complex, but the author’s way of revealing the layers like peeling an onion was exceptionally unique and delightful. I loved the story, learned from the research and identified with the characters. This novel is thought-provoking, intriguing and remarkably written to entertain as well as educate.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian Historical Fiction and Mystery, Rated PG

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ERIN BARTELS writes character-driven fiction for curious people. Her readers know to expect that each of her novels will tell a unique story about fallible characters so tangible that it’s hard to believe they are not real people. Whether urban, rural, or somewhere in between, her settings come alive with carefully crafted details that engage all the senses and transport the reader to a singular time and place. And her themes of reckoning with the past, improving the present, and looking with hope to the future leave her readers with a sense of peace and possibility.
Erin is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things, The Words between Us, All That We Carried, The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water, Everything Is Just Beginning, and The Lady with the Dark Hair. A two-time Christy finalist and winner of two WFWA Star Awards and two Michigan Notable Book Awards, Erin has been a publishing professional for more than twenty years. After eighteen years in Michigan’s capital city, she now lives with her family in a charming small town surrounded by farm fields and pasturelands.
You can find her on Facebook @ErinBartelsAuthor and on Instagram @erinbartelswrites.

Purchase Links

Baker Book House

Schuler Books

Bookshop

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Books-a-Million

Christian Book

I am deeply appreciative to Revell Fiction and the Revell Reads Blogger Program for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book!

Giving Thanks Is a Decision

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/23192/day/3

We make a lot of choices everyday, some of which are automatic and others require thinking about it for a while. The choice to be thankful should be automatic, but I must confess that some days, I struggle to show my thanks to God. Maybe things aren’t going the way I think they should or my world is a little topsy-turvy. Whatever is happening in the circumstances of my life is not a good reason to ignore all God has done and is still doing in my life and to take time to be grateful to Him for everything. This devotional is thought-provoking in that it says we can hinder God in acting on our behalf by our failure to be thankful. I will have to ponder that for a while. God will still continue with His plan, but I may not be as active a participant as I should be because I failed to be thankful. I want to be all in for God and His plans for me regardless of outward circumstances. The circumstances will change (it just happens as part of life) but only I can make the choice to thank God in the midst of them and be grateful that I have a life to be thankful for.

Just Read Publicity Tours: The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch

On By vickleaIn Book Review9 Comments

Welcome to the Blog Tour for The Garden Girls by Jessica R. Patch, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Garden Girls
Series: Strange Crimes Unit: South Division
Author: Jessica R. Patch
Publisher: Harlequin Love Inspired Trade
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Genre: Christian Psychological Thriller

On a remote Outer Banks island, a serial killer collects his prized specimens. And to stop him, an FBI agent must confront his own twisted past.

FBI agent Tiberius Granger has seen his share of darkness. But a new case sets him on edge. It’s not just the macabre way both victims—found posed in front of lighthouses—are tattooed with flowers that match their names. There’s also the unsettling connection to the woman Ty once loved and to the shadowy cult they both risked everything to escape.

Bexley Hemmingway’s sister has gone missing, and she’ll do anything to find her—including teaming up with Ty. That may prove a mistake, and not just because Ty doesn’t know he’s the father of her teenaged son. It seems the killer is taunting Ty, drawing everyone close to him into deeper danger.

As the slashing winds and rain of a deadly hurricane approach the coast of North Carolina, the search leads Ty and Bex to an island that hides a grisly secret. But in his quest for the truth, Ty has ignored the fact that this time, he’s not just the hunter. Every move has been orchestrated by a killer into a perfect storm of terror, and they will need all their skills to survive…

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop| BookBub

My Thoughts

I don’t recall the last time that a psychological thriller made me cry, but this one did. The characters are so real and relatable that they became like friends and I hated the thought that evil was all around them, waiting to destroy them. The SCU team travels to the Outer Banks, a setting I am familiar with, so I enjoyed the setting. They are there to find a serial kidnapper who is taking women and tattooing them with flowers, then discarding them at a local lighthouse. I loved having the team all together working on solving the crime. My favorite SCU members are always Owen, because of his sense of humor and joking attitude, and Violet because she is so intuitive that it’s just weird. These are the characters that I would like to invite to dinner and have them entertain me with their wit and intelligence. The pace of the book is at a breakneck speed, racing from one twist and red herring to another and ultimately arriving at the surprising conclusion. Fans of psych thrillers who enjoy the films and books of the late Alfred Hitchcock will be enthralled with the SCU, their crime solving abilities and the way the author portrays each of the members as real people with a life outside of solving crimes. Crying at some parts and gasping at others, I made it to the end and then I just wanted another SCU book to read already. Faith plays a foundational part in the story, but it does not overwhelm or take over the story. It is an important part of some of the character’s lives and that added to the depth of the story. The addiction is real…the quest for justice is real. And these books are amazing! This book is part of a series but it can be read and thoroughly enjoyed as a standalone.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian Fiction with Intense Content

More Books In This Series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica R. Patch is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author known for her dry wit, signatures twists, and complex characters. She loves reading true crime books, discussing cold cases over chips and salsa with her girlfriends, and hunting down serial killers in her romantic suspense novels and psychological thrillers.
Jessica loves to encourage and inspire people to forward living devotionals through her monthly email newsletter. You can join the Patched In community at her website.
She resides in the Memphis area with her husband and her spoiled tri-color Shetland Sheepdog since becoming empty nesters. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
Connect with Jessica by visiting jessicarpatch.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed paperback copy of Her Darkest Secret and A Cry in the Dark and a $25 Amazon card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 15, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on April 22, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only for print. Ebooks available if winner is Canadian. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Review of JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Melody Carlson

On By vickleaIn Book ReviewLeave a comment

ABOUT THE BOOK

ISBN-13:9781493444755. Publisher:Baker Publishing Group. Publication date:03/19/2024. Pages:288

Ginny Masters manages a popular boutique hotel in Seattle and manages it with aplomb. But the daily challenges and irritations of a fast-paced job and a demanding boss are starting to get to her. Jacqueline Potter manages her grandfather’s fishing lodge in Idaho because it was the only job she could find after graduating with her hospitality degree. She’s grateful for the work but longs for a more sophisticated and cosmopolitan life she’s just not going to find in this backwoods town.

The solution to both their problems seems obvious. Just for the summer, they’ll swap jobs and lifestyles. But they never anticipated swapping love interests . . .

In this fabulous new twist on an age-old fable, award-winning and bestselling author Melody Carlson introduces you to two career-focused women who are about to discover that there’s more to finding happiness than just switching up the scenery.

My Thoughts

Ginny and Jacqueline have similar occupations, both managers of very different places. Ginny manages a boutique hotel in Seattle and is under the thumb of a demanding boss who treats her more like her personal servant than a valued employee. Jacqueline, feeling displaced by her mother’s new choice of a husband, flees that situation to manage her grandfather’s fishing lodge in a beautiful rustic setting. Jacqueline wants to do bigger and better things with her life, so she is not happy with fish, smelly fishermen and log cabins. Since neither young woman is happy, the perfect solution is for them to swap jobs for the summer. This is an amusing story with some deep undertones about finding happiness within yourself instead of expecting circumstances to always go your way. Once the young women switch jobs, Ginny continues to be a stellar employee, looking for ways to improve the lodge and to make everyone as happy with the setting as she is. Jacqueline, on the other hand, has taken her demanding and self-centered personality along with her and manages to alienate the other employees at the hotel while enraging her new boss. The two young women have several conflicts, some drama and a lot of fun finding out what their strengths and weaknesses are and discovering how to be their best selves, no matter where that may take them. I enjoyed the characters, especially the fishing guide Ben at the fishing lodge and the grandfather Jack. Both are common sense, no nonsense men who have learned to cope, adapt and adjust with changes. All of the characters are fully developed and fun to get to know. Even spoiled and entitled Jacqueline ended up having some redeeming qualities, making her one of the most dynamic characters in the book. The plot was well-paced, perfect for a rom-com with some drama mixed in. With life lessons about moving forward, taking chances and learning from mistakes, this is a book not to be missed by fans of entertaining and engaging reads.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian Fiction, Rated G

About the Author

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books with sales of more than 7.5 million, including many bestselling Christmas novellas, young adult titles, and contemporary romances. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, her novel All Summer Long has been made into a Hallmark movie, and the movie based on her novel The Happy Camper premiered on UPtv in 2023. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at http://www.MelodyCarlson.com.

Purchase Links

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Christian Book

Baker Book House

Target

Audible

With much appreciation to Revell for their Blogger Program and the entertainment I once again received from reading a great Christian book!

Review of LETHAL DANGER by Jerusha Agen

On By vickleaIn Book Review2 Comments

ABOUT THE BOOK

ISBN-13:9781956683325. Publisher:Sdg Words, LLC. Publication date:04/25/2024. Series:Guardians Unleashed ,#4. Pages:430

This K-9 team is trained to eliminate threats. This threat could eliminate them.

Being a loner is getting old. Jazz Lamont still can’t fit in at the Phoenix K-9 Agency, and she’s losing her best friend. At least providing security with her K-9 partner at the Tri-City Fair will mean revisiting the only place where she once belonged. But a series of accidents threatens her beloved fair and puts lives at risk.

Thriller author Hawthorne Emerson suspects foul play after the first “accident.” Moonlighting as fair security to investigate the death of his sister’s boyfriend, he’s eager to find the truth. He doesn’t expect the task to lead him to the cult he escaped.

Finding the culprit behind the sabotage is personal for Jazz and Hawthorne. But someone else has a personal stake, too. Someone who wants Jazz dead. When everything she thought was true is dismantled, can Jazz risk trusting others-including God-to survive?

My Thoughts

I raced through the story of Jazz Lamont with my heart in my throat and my fingers drumming anxiously as I read all of the threats that were coming Jazz’s way and her calm way of “taking care of business as usual.” Jazz, as a member of Phoenix K-9 Protection and Detective Agency, is accustomed to danger, but she is not ready for the danger to explode in her personal life. The assignment seems like a normal one, to guard and protect the Tri-City Fair that has had a few weird events there lately. Since Jazz’s aunt is the manager of the fair and Jazz spent her childhood summers there, she is attached to the good memories she has and more than willing to participate in protecting it. The threats continue to ramp up, the danger gets closer and more deadly, and Jazz is eager to work alongside author and temporary security guard Hawthorne Emerson. (Swoon!) I really enjoyed the nail-biting suspense because I never knew when or how another attack would occur, either at the fair or to Jazz personally or even to Hawthorne. The story is a gripping tale of escalating tension which features crisp writing and a sparkling, low-key romance. This is a rich story that is infused with spiritual truth, adding to the realism of the characters and the danger they constantly face as well as their close relationships with each other. There are several mysteries to be solved in the storyline, with intricate plot threads masterfully woven together to make one very riveting and action-packed tale. The multiple layers flow together and keep the intrigue and intensity of the plot moving quickly and brilliantly. I really enjoyed the edginess that persisted throughout the story as well as the characters with their complicated personalities and individual strengths. Of course, I loved the canines because they are so intuitive and well-trained that I was confident that they could protect their owners from whatever threat suddenly manifested itself. This head-spinning book had me captivated from beginning to end and I loved every minute I spent getting to know Jazz’s backstory and why she made the choices she did. This cleverly written page turner has me already wanting the next book in the “Guardians Unleashed” series. Addictive and book coma inducing, this book is one of the best romantic thrillers I have ever read and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants engaging entertainment that will keep you intrigued and guessing.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Christian Fiction with Intense Suspense, Rated G

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.
With a B.A. in English and a background in screenwriting, Jerusha is a speaker, writing instructor, and Fear Warrior who sounds the call to battle against fear in our everyday lives.
Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats. You’ll often find her sharing irresistibly adorable photos of them in her newsletter and on social media.
Get a free suspense story from Jerusha and find more of her thrilling, fear-fighting novels at www.JerushaAgen.com.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/JerushaAgenAuthor/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jerushaagen/
BOOK BUB: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jerusha-agen-fd78bc82-831e-41c0-81d6-d02a6ddade0e
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7281400.Jerusha_Agen
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP: https://jerushaagen.com/newsletter-and-blog-subscription/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SDGwords

Purchase Links:

http://lethaldanger.com/

http://jerushastore.com/

Other Books in the Guardians Unleashed Series

Falling Apart of Falling into Place

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/44313/day/2

Perspective, perspective, perspective. How you look at things is how you approach them to try to solve them. A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to see a Christian movie in town and as we were leaving the theater complex, we had to stop at a red light. Looking across the way, my husband got very concerned because there was a caravan of emergency vehicles, lights flashing and totally stopped. I saw the same thing my husband did, but with a different perspective. I could see that the vehicles were stopped on the right shoulder of the road. To my husband, who has cataracts and really needs surgery that he refuses go get, the fire truck, which was the vehicle in front of all the others, was totally blocking our lane. I assured him that was not the case and he would see that when he actually turned and could get a better perspective. He argued with me a minute or so, but when he turned, he got quiet because I was right. I saw things the way they actually were, not the way I feared they would be.

Sometimes, I am like my husband when I am approach problems or challenges of any kind. I see them as totally blocking my path instead of actually not being in the path at all. I know that God can change circumstances, but I don’t really expect that to be the norm in my life. My perspective is one of independence and planning a solution myself instead of leaning into God, especially for the big things. I know that I really need to have a God’s-eye view of the situation and, using His perspective, I can see things more clearly and have a better idea of how He wants me to approach things. I can’t sit at the red light forever waiting for the big truck that isn’t even in my way to move. I have to move first and then I will see things more clearly and with the vision of how things really are. Trust means stepping out and having your perspective get clearer as you move closer to God.

Growing Trust

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

www.bible.com/reading-plans/44313/day/1

“Trust” is my faith word for the year and I had an inkling when I prayed about it and chose it that this would lead to some testing. Well, of course, it has, but that is okay, because it has also led to my pressing in closer to God and being more willing to wait for Him and to listen for His voice. Trust isn’t an easy thing for me, but I am learning what it means to trust and planting seeds of trust along my journey of life’s challenging and bumpy road.

Be Thankful

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

In the days of waiting for test results, surgery, more results and appointments, I have to confess that the peace that I needed to feel just weren’t present. When I talked to Isaac last night, that peace finally burst forth…like I was holding my breath and I was finally able to exhale.

Isaac saw the oncologist yesterday and I think his final decision is to have testing every two months, although he has until mid-May to give the oncologist his decision about preventative chemotherapy. I am not feeling peace about his decision necessarily, but I am feeling peace that this chapter seems to be coming to a close and he is moving to the next one.

Prayers are appreciated for wisdom for him to make the decision best for his life and health and for him to have a closer relationship to God. This experience seems to have embittered him and that breaks my heart, but God knows his heart and I am at rest knowing that God will continue to work with Isaac and meet him right where he is.