The Amish Clockmaker by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner

    

         I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Amish Clockmaker by Mindy Starns Clark and Susan Meissner from Harvest House Publishers. This book was the first book of this genre I have read from a man's point of view. In a wonderful way, the story is told in the perspective from two men, decades apart that become inextricably wound together.

            The story is present day, but flashes back to the re-telling of a tale from the fifties about the clockmaker. Clayton Raber was a man who seemed to have been dealt with the wrong hand in the game of life. Left lame from a childhood buggy accident he was also scarred on his face; a scar that gave people impression he was small in many ways. He was gifted in his craft but his work was renowned for its beauty as well as craftsmanship. He was a thoughtful man who loved very deeply with a genuine heart. He never dreamed of marrying and when he did, it was no less than to the woman he loved beyond the gate of their adjoining farms. The circumstances of their marriage and her untimely death shrouded Clayton in such controversy that he left home, never to return.

            The two main themes of the story are God’s will and true love. The characters did quite a bit of praying and soul searching, but still sometimes struggled with letting God have complete control. God’s love is true and we should love people like He does, whether they love us back or not. It felt natural and I could easily relate to the characters. This is the third book in the Men of Lancaster County series and is a stand-alone story I am on the lookout now for books one and two. A really great Amish story with a lot of twist and turns  I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Amish Fiction.

            I received digital copy of book from Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my review.

Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café by Max Lucado with Eric Newman & Candace Lee

           What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? How would he answer?
In Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café, Chelsea finds herself in a new phase of her life, now baking and making coffee at her mother's (previously her grandmother's) cafe. With a fresh start, she thinks she can make it on her own but, she soon finds out that she needs more than just luck; this newly single mom finds herself in desperate need of a miracle.

            Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea's door, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They've come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the café has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life's biggest questions.

           First, you need to know I love coffee, I love Max Lucado and his books. This story was just the best of both worlds. The story is set in San Antonio and was nice to read of the various familiar places.  The story of this special coffee house, its' owner, and 'other' guests, It was easy to put myself in the story and the characters were believable and well written. I enjoyed the flow of conversation and the absolute real conversational language. The story deals with real life problems and frustrating issues and does it in a way that will hold the reader's interest all the way through the book. It is also a story of hope, healing and faith.

           Miracle at the Higher Grounds Café is a story full of heart, depth, giggles, and spiritual insight. The story becomes a sweet read with characters to root for. The angelic aspect was created with humor and delight in the only way Max Lucado does.  It was a quick read that left me feeling like I too stepped inside the Higher Grounds Café; it had a real-life feel to it. I highly recommend this book to give to friends, and good for book clubs, it also has discussion questions.

           I received copy of book from Thomas Nelson Publishing in their BookLook program for bloggers for my review.

Dreaming Spies by Laurie R King

            Laurie R. King’s New York Times bestselling novels of suspense featuring, Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, are critically acclaimed and beloved by readers for the author’s adept interplay of history and adventure. Now the intrepid duo is finally trying to take a little time for themselves, only to be swept up in a baffling case that will lead them from the idyllic panoramas of Japan to the depths of Oxford’s most revered institution.
            After a lengthy case that had the couple traipsing all over India, Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes are on their way to California to deal with some family business that Russell has been neglecting for far too long. Along the way, they plan to break up the long voyage with a sojourn in southern Japan. The cruising steamer Thomas Carlyle is leaving Bombay, bound for Kobe. Though they’re not the vacationing types, Russell is looking forward to a change of focus; not to mention a chance to travel to a location Holmes has not visited before. The idea of the pair being on equal footing is enticing to a woman who often must race to catch up with her older, highly skilled husband.
            Aboard the ship, intrigue stirs almost immediately. Holmes recognizes the famous clubman the Earl of Darley, whom he suspects of being an occasional blackmailer: not an unlikely career choice for a man richer in social connections than in pounds sterling. Then there’s the lithe, surprisingly fluent young Japanese woman who befriends Russell and quotes haiku. She agrees to tutor the couple in Japanese language and customs, but Russell can’t shake the feeling that Haruki Sato is not who she claims to be.
            Once in Japan, Russell’s suspicions are confirmed in a most surprising way. From the glorious city of Tokyo to the cavernous library at Oxford, Russell and Holmes race to solve a mystery involving international extortion, espionage, and the shocking secrets that, if revealed, could spark revolution, and topple an empire.
            Dreaming Spies immerses Russell, Holmes, and the reader in the country and culture of early twentieth century Japan and involves ninjas, blackmail, the international travel set, the Japanese heir to the throne, the deceptively demure daughter of a Japanese acrobat, and Holmes and Russell posing as both religious pilgrims and high society aristocrats. With intriguing characters, a fascinating setting, a complex mystery, and haikus scattered throughout the text.

            I agree with The Washington Post Book World when they praised the award-winning novels of Laurie R. King “The great marvel of King’s series is that she’s managed to preserve the integrity of Holmes’s character and yet somehow conjure up a woman astute, edgy, and compelling enough to be the partner of his mind as well as his heart.”
            This is the first book by this author I have read. I was not disappointed and plan on checking out her other stories. I love Sherlock Holmes I have been reading these stories of the famous detective since I was a child. I adore the PBS series of Sherlock Holmes, but it  has been a  long time since I have read a Sherlock book. I didn’t even know about this series until I had the chance to read this book. The prose is beautifully descriptive and informative. I just loved this book and all its wanderings. I can’t wait to learn more about this unusual and talented couple and to catch up on their adventures.

Dreaming Spies is very entertaining and a fine entry in this engaging series. I highly recommend this book. I received digital copy from Bantam Books/Random House via Net Galley for my review.

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Miracle of Voodoo Mountain by Megan Boudreaux

Megan Boudreaux story begins after a brief visit to Haiti in 2010, just after the earthquake that devastated that country. While there, she hiked up to a beautiful old tamarind tree sitting by itself on top of Bellevue Mountain.  She went home and the dreams started. She would dream about that tree night after night and wake up with her heart pounding in excitement. She went in to talk to her boss about these crazy dreams and how much she’d been impressed by the children and people.  In the middle of her ramblings, her boss spoke up. “If you think God is calling you to Haiti, you absolutely need to go. If it doesn’t work out there will always be a place for you here.” So off she went. No plan in mind, no one with her, no funding, no sponsors—just a dream and a destination, Gressier, Haiti. 

 And the journey truly began.

                Megan Boudreaux tells a story that is beautifully simple and yet eye-opening in its truth. We hear about the reality of voodoo, restaveks (child slavery) and how unknowing but generous Americans can actually exacerbate the problems for Haitian children. Megan Boudreaux has changed the world and she was only 24 years old. Her story will knock your socks off. Megan works to break the chains of slavery and walk through the battles with the Haitian children.

                Megan lives with a willingness to take her heart to God in prayer, obedience to His call for action and a faith knowing He will provide no matter the circumstance. When fear and lies and pure evil attack, Megan chooses to live in the light. Her story is one of bravery, hope and love, God’s love, to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

                Well written and inspirational, this book has the added benefit of being a true story. Megan Boudreaux does an amazing job helping the reader to see through her eyes the many heartbreaks, victories and ultimately hope that has been her journey of faith in Haiti. Her uplifting pilgrimage, starting from visions of a tree to building a school serving 500 children is a story well worth the few hours it will take to read.

                I cried through most of this story, it has touched me deeply, reading about the unbelievable and insurmountable odds, one young woman waged a war against darkness for a handful of Haitian children, and won. So many amazing and miraculous things unfold from that little step of obedience; I encourage you to read the book for yourself. 

 I received copy of book from HarperCollins publisher’s BookLook program for my review.

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