YOURS IS THE NIGHT by Amanda Dykes ~ a stellar read. 5-star review

Posted on July 26, 2021 by marykaymoody

A mysterious song in the forest . . .
A discovery in war-torn France . . .
A journey toward hope.
The trenches of the Great War are a shadowed place. Though Platoon Sergeant Matthew Petticrew arrived there with a past long marked by shadow, the realities of battle bring new wounds–carving within him a longing for light, and a resolve to fight for it.

One night, Matthew and his comrades are enraptured by a sound so pure, a voice so ethereal, it offers reprieve–even if only for a moment. Soon, rumors sweep the trenches from others who have heard the lullaby too. “The Angel of Argonne,” they call the voice: a mysterious presence who leaves behind wreaths on unmarked graves.

Raised in the wild depths of the Forest of Argonne, Mireilles finds her reclusive world rocked when war crashes into her idyllic home, taking much from her. When Matthew and his two unlikely companions discover Mireilles, they must embark on a journey that will change each of them forever . . . and perhaps, at long last, spark light into the dark.

[back cover copy]

Trench Art of WW I

Yours is the Night, latest book by Amanda Dykes, is set against the dark days of World War I but it’s an amazing book that shimmers with courageous souls, generous hearts, noble spirits, and the fight for light. A reader might have concern about reading a tale set during World War I, especially since Amanda is known for bringing characters and settings to life. I’ve read many books set in wartime. A few I’ve stopped reading. Some I gritted my way through but felt assaulted in the reading. Amanda is almost unique in her ability to keep the story real while finding and focusing on glints of light and life that not only balance out intense images of battle but make the tale a thing of hope and beauty.

She fills her cast with characters from diverse backgrounds ~ a New York horse farm, Oxford University, a woodland cabin. And I’ve fallen in love with every one of our band of travelers. Each is unique, totally likeable, and has no intention of joining the war. But as we journey with them, each is impacted by some aspect of the conflict and must deal with it or be crushed by it.

As I’ve mentioned in reviewing Amanda’s previous books, she writes delightful, lyrical tales with beauty and tender understanding of the broken places in a person. She writes of the impact of choices and how consequences echo into the future. And always, the fight for light and The Light. This book continues that lovely, powerful writing filled with imagery, symbolism, and surprises. I’ll share just a sample.

…a flock of sheep bleated, eating grass like all was as normal as could be …. The scene sliced clean away when I blinked, that green grass flashing into colorless dirt, the blue sky swallowed up by dark. How long, I wondered, would memory keep doing this? Showing up and slashing into the present? [p 141]

This country so deeply scarred by trenches and terror is beginning to feel its wounds stitched together by Allied forces … victory by victory. [p. 174]

The sticks and curves and letters arranged themselves into words that shattered my world. [p. 205]

… Characteristics that stuck out like odd limbs on a person bumbling through the corridors of life, until he found that they weren’t odd limbs at all, but rather the carefully crafted shape of himself, molded to fit like a puzzle piece into this moment. [p. 257]

At times, writing a book review is difficult because a so-so story or cliché characters don’t inspire. But writing a review for this one is difficult because the story is so good that my words fall so very short of conveying the beauty, the power…the light & joy the author has infused into it. I heartily recommend Yours is the Night for a stellar read (and re-read). Join the journey through fear and fog of war, yearning for life and love and peace, and most of all discovery. Who knows? You may, like me, even want to begin carrying a box of matches with you.

Trench Art photo credit: http://www.trenchartofww1.co.uk/images/Lights_Out_Candle_2014.JPG?298

Some links to sources for a copy of Yours is the Night if you’re so inclined:

Baker Book House (pre-order special through 8/2/21: 40% off + free shipping + free gift while supplies) last): https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/260758

Christianbook.com: https://www.christianbook.com/…/9780764232688/pd/232681…

Bookshop.org (Supports independent bookstores) https://bookshop.org/books/yours-is-the-night/9780764232688

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/…/yours-is…/1137897809…

Wal-Mart: https://www.walmart.com/…/Yours-is-the-Night…/683442923

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764232681

Books-a-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/…/Amanda-Dykes/9780764232688

Indiebound: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780764232688

THE KISSING TREE ~ Fun Romances. 5-Star Review

Posted on October 29, 2020 by marykaymoody

THE KISSING TREE is four distinct love stories, from the pens of four skilled authors, inextricably entwined by the grandfatherly oak and family.

In this Texas-sized romance novella collection, courting couples, decades apart, leave a permanent mark of their love by carving their initials into the same oak’s bark.

Regina Jennings’ Broken Limbs, Mended Fences: When a young man from her past returns and upends their small town with a new invention, schoolteacher Bella Eden is reminded of the heartbreak she suffered years ago under the old oak tree.

Karen Witemeyer’s Inn for a Surprise: Determined to keep love alive for others, Phoebe Woodward builds an inn that caters to couples. When her father sends a property manager to help make it a success, she finds her whimsical vision thwarted.

Amanda Dykes’ From Roots to Sky: WWII airman Luke Hampstead found comfort in letters from the sister of a lost compatriot. When he visits Texas to thank her, he discovers her constructing a project with surprising ties to his letters.

Nicole Deese’s Heartwood: Abby Brookshire’s world is turned upside down when the historic tree she’s strived to preserve as groundskeeper at the Kissing Tree Inn is put in danger of removal. The only way to protect it is to partner with the man she’s been ignoring since he left town years ago. [from back cover]

And that cover! A perfect reflection of romance inside with a hint of the tree that arcs over the stories.

The tree, a massive live oak, stands resolute as a judge, strong as a longshoreman, and as kindly and captivating as Aslan. Like a kindly grandfather, it welcomes, shelters, and inspires generations of an entire town.

The characters in these novellas are as clearly-drawn as any full-length novel, and just as dear. Phoebe Woodward is described as “kind-natured and bookish, two qualities generally admired;” Hannah as “hard to keep track of;” and Luke as having “the sort of smile that took its time finding its way to the surface.” (Can’t you just see that slow-growing radiance?!)

The tales span over a century and are four delicious romances ~ but so much more. Built around the tree, they also contain connections and references to earlier people, and therefore build on each other.

Though all share the tree as a central element, the tales are amazingly varied, not contrived, and carry deep insights. And they’re great fun. The meet-cutes are some of the best I’ve read, especially—well, I can’t tell you. I’d spoil your enjoyment.

I heartily recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys romance and family sagas.

Thank you to Bethany House for a free review copy of this book. I was under no requirement to write a positive review.

Photo credits: Amazon, Gareth Davies, Chris Pruitt

SET THE STARS ALIGHT by Amanda Dykes~Prepare to be Carried Away! 5-star Review

Posted on June 22, 2020 by marykaymoody

In an aged brick cottage in London, the magic of the past comes alive each night for the family of a humble watchmaker. In her father’s fireside stories, Lucy Claremont’s fascination with the high seas begins, leading her to devote her life’s work to discovering the whereabouts of a legendary lost ship. But when tragedy strikes, it’s childhood friend Dashel and his knowledge of the stars that may help her solve the puzzle.

Two hundred years earlier, three young lives are altered forever when a shepherd rescues the privileged son of a powerful admiral. As the children grow, war leads to unthinkable heartbreak, deep love, and a story of betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption that fades into obscurity as centuries pass.

As Lucy and Dash explore mysterious ruins on the East Sussex coast, their search leads them to a community of souls and a long-hidden tale that may hold the answers–and the healing–they so desperately seek. [back cover]

In SET THE STARS ALIGHT Amanda Dykes has penned a story that captivates completely from page one. I couldn’t have been more absorbed if I watched the tale unfurl while flying over it with Peter Pan.

Settings come alive with Amanda’s use of specific, sensory details. Whether an ancient, sooty match factory or a wireless, fairy-tale-like farm ~ the reader is there, hearing the song of the bells and feeling the breeze, tasting the flavors it carries. Amanda’s poetic, lyrical writing evokes memories of fables and fairy tales, enticing readers to ignore the thrum of our frenetic planet, and fall into life with Lucy and Dash.

Characters are so well developed, that it takes no time at all to bond with them. To feel the excitement when Papa begins a riddle or a story. Or the breath-stealing, carved-out realization that a loved one is … gone.

And though this book is only the second of Amanda’s published novels, she’s already a master not only at spinning stories, but balancing the mechanics of producing a dual-time book. Like the storytellers in this yarn, Amanda sprinkles clues to links between the two timelines. And the story flows unimpeded even when she switches between the nineteenth and twenty-first centuries. I dare say, no reader will have to flip back to an earlier chapter to reconnect with a storyline in order to move ahead.

Amanda displays great skill in story craft, but SET THE STARS ALIGHT is so much more than the sum of these skills. This story is art. Magic. Delightful. Full of imagery, symbolism, and surprises! The intriguing characters—on quests for belonging, truth, love, forgiveness, lost things, or answers to mysteries—deliver us to wonder and light. And to the reward of learning that everyone’s actions reverberate through time. That every single life matters. The journey introduces us to The Maker of Wonder, Light Himself.

I could fill pages with favorite quotes. (I nearly wore out the yellow marker!) But lest I rob you of the joy of discovering your own, I include below just a few. An appetizer if you will. This gem of a story will satisfy on every level.

“When things seem dark, Lucy, that’s when you fight for the light.” p 21

For who were they to one another now? A shadow. An outline. A question mark. p 67

The woman … gave the impression that she’d been born and raised in a confectioner’s shop and trailed a dusting of sweetness wherever she went. p 73

“Looks as if he ate anger for breakfast.” p 79

“I wonder if it’s even possible to overestimate the significance of a single life … Words spoken, hearts changed, a meal provided to a hungry sojourner, who knows? Who knows how far everyday actions reach?” p 196

As if every moment between then and now had been leading up to this, the homecoming of their hands. p 178

[image credit: Peter Pan, disney; couple by Vecteezy]

SET THE STARS ALIGHT releases June 30, 2020. I’m blessed to have read an early copy from NetGalley for review. Usually I don’t find the e-versions of a book nearly as engaging as paper. But STARS knocked that problem to the curb! This is a 5-star recommendation. I feel my words don’t to this fabulous story justice!

You can meet Amanda on social media, where she likes to hang out and talk about wondrous things. So visit her on Instagram or Facebook if you want to learn more about this amazing author.

Links to some places you can purchase SET THE STARS ALIGHT if you’re so inclined. And a word from Amanda: Available in Paperback, Audiobook, and Hardcover. May we encourage you to support an independent and/or local bookstore with this purchase? Even one book can help these cherished stores regain their footing amid the COVID-19 circumstances. Thank you, fellow bookstore lovers!

Baker Book House

Indiebound (Find a bookstore local to you.)

Christianbook

Powell’s

Barnes & Noble

Walmart (paperback link)

BOOK REVIEW ~ FAR SIDE OF THE SEA by Kate Breslin

Posted on March 18, 2019 by marykaymoody

A fresh, fascinating World War I puzzle ~

In 1918 England, Lieutenant Colin Mabry spends his days decoding messages for MI after suffering injuries at the front. When he receives an urgent summons by carrier pigeon from Jewel Reyer–a woman who saved his life and who he believed to be dead–he can only hope he’ll regain the courage he lost on the front lines as he’s driven back into war-torn France. But Jewel isn’t the one waiting for him in Paris. … [back cover]

Kate Breslin’s new novel, Far Side of the Sea, is a jam-packed tale set in WW I. It’s a great adventure of spies and espionage that introduces new places and unexplored aspects of a war that was fought in locations besides muddy trenches of France and Belgium. It’s the intriguing puzzle that all good spy movies must be with interesting characters, most of whom we’re only certain if they’re trustworthy at the final, gripping end. The exception, of course, is Lieutenant Colin Mabry who’s been injured already in this war but perseveres in spite of that, proving himself a worthy and admirable hero.

Breslin’s ability to populate her story with realistic, fully-developed characters whose personalities and actions shift in and out of shadow to guide or misdirect us is excellent. As is her skill at researching and weaving interesting historical nuggets into the dramatic storylines. Her settings are vibrant; the romance sweet and believable. And into her tale she sprinkles touches of humor—a nice counterpoint to the tension.

I enjoyed reading this, as I have all Breslin’s books. But I had an issue with pacing. At times the story seemed to amble forward rather than charge ahead with the intensity of the life-and-death issues at play. This was only an occasional issue and occurred less often in later chapters.

If this were a class, I’d give Breslin extra credit points for her stellar research and weaving in gems of new information in fresh ways. For example, numerous scenes involve carrier pigeons. The details of how they were used and the extensive impact they had on the troops were all new to me. Including the birds allowed new dimensions of characters to be explored as well as new plot twists to rev up the tension.

Breslin’s stories are compelling and I look forward to reading more of them. To learn more, you can visit her website here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher to review and was not required to write a positive one. Opinions expressed here are mine.

A POPPY IN REMEMBRANCE by Michelle Ule ~ Book Review

Posted on October 29, 2018 by marykaymoody

A Poppy in Remembrance Michelle Ule cover As World War I breaks out, Claire Meacham struggles to carve out a place in the male-dominated world of journalism. She struggles to hang on to hope while war tears her world apart. When she meets Oswald and Biddy Chambers, she adds another challenge—how to live out the teaching of Scripture. As the war grinds on, her new-found faith is tested and stretched.

I usually like stories where I’m drawn into the story world so well that I feel like I’m there. Consider this description from page 306:

“Cranes and longshoremen toted loads from transport ships. The oily ship smell, raucous seabird calls, and salty ocean moisture pervaded the busy dock. Farther down the quay, they found a line of ambulances waiting to offload patients to a ferry. Soldiers stood in formation, nursing sisters scurried and a moaning fog horn underscored it all.”

Are you there? An author’s ability to do this can be a problem in stories with ugly or painful settings. And WW I was certainly that. But Michelle Ule’s skill keeps this from being a depressing read. Much like Kristy Cambron’s novels of WW II and the Holocaust, Ule balances gritty historical fact with storylines that include tenderness, humor, and insight.

POPPIES SYMBOLIZE 2 Ule has done an amazing job of braiding together stories that could each be a book unto itself: history, biography, romance, and an interesting coming-of-age tale. She weaves the various elements with sparks of beauty, wit, and wisdom.

Her characters are realistically drawn with a wide variety of personalities, points of view, and burdens. Dialog is crisp, never superfluous. Ule’s descriptions are gripping, fresh, and engage the senses. The settings are captured so well that, rather than simply reading, at times I seemed to look at a painting. Other times, the sights and sounds were so real, I felt as if I’d stepped into a new land.

Claire’s journey is a poignant, powerful one. When her mother asks if Claire’s experiences and losses in the war won’t allow her to write about it honestly, we see the impact the war is having on her:

“Claire didn’t know. Everything about her life seemed untethered. She wasn’t sure what was important and what didn’t matter.” [page 342]

The story’s end is deeply satisfying.

NEWTON & POLLY by Jody Hedlund ~ Book Review

Posted on October 11, 2018 by marykaymoody

COVER - Newton + Polly by Hedlund

Even the cover is captivating ~ a serene woman drawn to the light is cast against a ship struggling on a dark, stormy sea. And just as on the first page Susanna drags Polly toward a farmhouse door, we are compelled to enter the story of Polly Catlett’s tumultuous relationship with John Newton.

We join them as they seem to fall immediately in love, yet go through eight years learning about each other, faith, and God. It’s a relationship that is as turbulent and strong as the ocean storms Newton encounters.

With insight and at times painful clarity, Hedlund shows us Newton the scoundrel as he struggles with disdain for God and right Christian living, while yearning for the love and respect of the devout Polly and her family.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Hedlund’s rich, detailed descriptions bring the scenes alive. We are immersed in the story world, whether we are pitching about onboard a ship in a dark storm, a raucous bar, a quiet midwinter eve in the forest, a steamy African jungle, or the glowing warmth of the Catlett parlor.

Newton was such a reprobate, making disastrous decisions, receiving grace from authorities, and then repeating the cycle that at times I’d huff and think “He’s going to do it again?” But against Newton’s foolishness and sin, the patience and unfailing love of God shines brightly ~ a reminder to us all that God has a plan, a use for each of us, and grace for our every need. The hymn “Amazing Grace,” written by John Newton, continues to bear witness to that.

As I read, I wondered what in the story was true and what was fiction. I love that Hedlund graciously includes an Author’s Note to tell us.

CHATEAU OF SECRETS by Melanie Dobson – Book Review

Posted on September 20, 2018 by marykaymoody

Imagine a beautiful June in 1940 and you’re living in a chateau in Normandy, France with your nobleman father. You awake one morning to learn you are ruled by Hitler and at the mercy of Nazi soldiers because some government officials in Paris decided to surrender. In World War II, life was upended like that. And life-altering, split-second decisions had to be made.

Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson is a rich, intriguing book that draws the reader into this astonishing place, exploring a labyrinth of emotions. Dobson weaves present and WWII stories into an intricate, well-balanced tapestry. Gisèle Duchant navigates those precarious WWII days fraught with danger, betrayal, and the ironies of courage, secrets, and choices made for survival. The depth of the struggle is exemplified as young Gisèle ponders how to continue:

German soldiers, Paris, June 14, 1940

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
The Germans had killed … and now they were destroying her country. How was she supposed to care for the men who had killed him? And even more, how was she supposed to love them—love evil? She despised everything they were doing.” [p 191]

Years later her granddaughter Chloe Sauver tries to unravel the stories into truth and piece together facts, hidden for decades, as she assists a documentary filmmaker.

I often find split-time novels slightly disappointing when the story or people of one era are not as interesting as the other, or following storylines is confusing. Chateau never falls into those but is always clear, crisp, and compelling.

I’m drawn to stories set during the 1940’s, have read many, and seen movies of even more. Yet Chateau introduced me to startling and new things I’d never learned about WWII. In telling this story, the “Sophie’s Choice” type decisions people faced are so real, I ached for them.

* photo credit: Bundesarchiv, on Wikipedia

MIST OF MIDNIGHT by Sandra Byrd ~ Book Review

Posted on August 22, 2018 by marykaymoody

A deeply evocative tale that will lure you in and wrap itself around you like a cloak.

COVER MIST OF MIDNIGHT by Sandra Byrd

From the back cover: Rebecca Ravenshaw, daughter of missionaries, spent most of her life in India. Following the death of her family in the Indian Mutiny, Rebecca returns to claim her family estate in Hampshire, England. Upon her return, people are surprised to see her…and highly suspicious. Less than a year earlier, an impostor had arrived with an Indian servant and assumed not only Rebecca’s name, but her home and incomes.

That pretender died within months of her arrival; the servant fled to London as the young woman was hastily buried at midnight. The locals believe that perhaps she, Rebecca, is the real impostor. Her home and her father’s investments reverted to a distant relative, the darkly charming Captain Luke Whitfield, who quickly took over. Against her best intentions, Rebecca begins to fall in love with Luke, but she is forced to question his motives—does he love her or does he just want Headbourne House? If Luke is simply after the property, as everyone suspects, will she suffer a similar fate as the first “Rebecca”?

Sandra Byrd has presented us a delicious tale of mysterious characters in a complicated situation, and we are compelled to try to determine who is actually who they say they are and what are their motives? We know the future for Rebecca is by no means secure from the moment we read Chapter One’s opening line:

“Dusk had begun to smother daylight as we walked…”

And with Byrd’s skill at creating a foreboding atmosphere, we know when Rebecca faces a threat on the page, other more sinister threats are still ahead.

“The dark approached and the silence encircled me, tomblike in its absolute hush; if it were possible to hear quiet, to hear absence, then I heard it.” [p164]

Mist of Midnight is an intriguing story, a richly-woven tapestry of emotions and cultures, danger and surprises. Byrd has created a novel that captivates and will keep you up reading long past the time you intended.

Book Review – CONFESSIONS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Michelle Cuevas & Jacques Papier

Posted on August 2, 2018 by marykaymoody

Jacques Papier is a charming new voice in fiction ~ whimsical and philosophical by turns, making his memoir the perfect book for any age reader. CONFESSIONS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND makes me wish I still had littles around to read stories to.

As the book says on the back cover, poor “Jacques has a sneaking suspicion that nobody like him. Teachers ignore him when he raises his hand, he is never chosen for sports teams, and Francois the family dog won’t stop barking at him! Thank goodness for Fleur, his sister and constant companion, who knows what he’s thinking even before he does. Then Jacques discover a devastating truth: He isn’t Fleur’s brother; he is her imaginary friend!”

This shocking discovery sends Jacques on an existential, life-changing journey of discovery to learn what makes us us? What is important? Braided with simple yet clever observations and naïve interpretations are mature insights.

As I share a few of my favorite morsels, I don’t have to worry about spoiling your experience when you read the story. This book is chock full of delight, whimsy, and wisdom.

Jacques says our world has a deficit of words. He gives us a list of things he’s observed that have no word. Like Jacques, they exist but somehow they are also lacking identification. Such things as “a square of light on a floor made by the moon … secret messages in alphabet soup … ships that want to stay sunken.” And this snippet shows just how much he loves his sister (despite his being imaginary): “There also is no word for … when someone has a smile that looks so lit up, there must be a lightning bug caught in their head. (For the record, I would petition this word be called Fleur.)”

In chapter 53 Jacques ponders what makes people different and/or valuable. He comes to the conclusion that every person is amazing ~ and most people don’t realize that about themselves because of their perspective, “like a flower that looks down and thinks it is just a stem.”

This story is delightfully creative and filled with things we adults, busy with important stuff as we are, don’t take time to notice. Sounds, for instance. Jacques remembers “the hum of Father’s lawnmower, ticking of clocks, sizzling pans and clicking spoons … the sound of my parents’ voices through the floorboards.” And light, “the shapes of the sleeping furniture.”

Kudos to Michelle Cuevas for bringing readers this book (and humbly taking second billing to Jacques). The cover so aptly portrays the essence of the story. Probably the best I’ve seen! CONFESSIONS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND is captivating. I enjoyed it twice: Once as I read it and another as I shared story and quotes with my husband. Jacques may be imaginary, but he has come to live at our house.

I was going to bundle the review of this short book (168 pages) with a couple others, but it is too good for that, It deserves its own space!

Book Review – FOR SUCH A TIME by Kate Breslin

Posted on April 18, 2018 by marykaymoody

In 1944, Jewess Hadassah Benjamin feels abandoned by God when she is saved from a firing squad only to be handed over to a new enemy. Pressed into service by the SS, she is able to hide behind the false identity of Stella Muller. However, in order to survive and maintain her cover, she is forced to stand by as her own people are sent to Auschwitz.

Suspecting her employer is a man of hidden depths and sympathies, Stella cautiously appeals to him on behalf of those in the camp. His compassion gives her hope, and she finds herself battling a growing attraction for this man she knows she should despise as an enemy.

Stella pours herself into her efforts to keep even some of the camp’s prisoners safe, but she risks the revelation of her true identity with every attempt. When her bravery brings her to the point of the ultimate sacrifice, she has only her faith to lean upon. Perhaps God has placed her there for such a time as this, but how can she save her people when she is unable to save herself? [from back cover]

Kate Breslin’s debut novel For Such a Time is a compelling and beautiful story of a Jewish woman whose blonde hair and blue eyes not only allow her to pass for Aryan, but convince many Germans that she is Aryan despite the stamp on her papers that says she’s a Jew.

Breslin drops the reader into WW II at Thereseinstadt, the Nazi transit camp in Czechoslovakia, where the cold, starvation, brutality, and hopelessness are portrayed in piercing clarity. (The gift of telling a story that pops off the page and into your living room sometimes doesn’t feel like a gift when what appears is a world such as Thereseinstadt.)

Also dropped into this place is the young woman Hadassah Benjamin whose papers say she is Stella Muller. She’s forced to serve as secretary to the SS commander, resulting in her having heart-breaking knowledge and being in jeopardy of discovery if even a slight ill-timed frown is ever seen. Excruciating decisions must be made, and innocents from infant to elderly are in jeopardy.

This tale is one of surviving harsh circumstances through the power of love, will, faith, and community. Also clearly on display despite the setting are flashes of kindness, tenderness, courage, sacrifice, and of love emerging and tentatively trusting, then provoking more courage and kindness.

A satisfying ending awaits those who read Breslin’s powerfully-told story. She seamlessly weaves fact and fiction and I was grateful that she included in the author’s note which parts of the story were true and which were fiction.

Mary Kay Moody

Writing at the Intersection of Our Plans and God's Purpose

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