by Laura DeNooyer | May 7, 2024 | Book Reviews
Who wouldn’t want to exchange grief and its source for a happier life? Have you ever wished for a do-over regarding a difficult choice or a deep regret? How many times do we ask “What if?” What if my dad had taken a different job in a different city? What if I’d been...
by Laura DeNooyer | Apr 16, 2024 | Book Reviews
With so many World War II stories set in Europe or America, Seashells in My Pocket by Terri Wangard is a breath of fresh air—both figuratively and literally. The unique setting is Brazil. Several scenes take place on the Atlantic seashore by Recife or Natal—vivid...
by Laura DeNooyer | Apr 2, 2024 | Book Reviews
I’ve never had to consider giving up a child up for adoption, but Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee shows what it might feel like—and reveals possible motives that enter such a decision. While some mothers give up their babies as an inconvenience, others are...
by Laura DeNooyer | Mar 19, 2024 | Book Reviews
For many years, my diet of Biblical fiction consisted of authors Francine Rivers, Angela Hunt, and Tessa Afshar. More recently, I became acquainted with the ones listed below, which includes Barbara Britton. Now, after reading Up From Dust: Martha’s Story, I’ve added...
by Laura DeNooyer | Mar 5, 2024 | Book Reviews
With all the thousands of World War II novels out there, sometimes I wonder how novelists keep coming up with fresh new stories. But considering all the people and places impacted by that world-wide catastrophe, even decades later, I suppose World War II authors will...
by Laura DeNooyer | Feb 20, 2024 | Book Reviews
I’ve read numerous World War II novels. Yet all I know about London’s evacuation of children is from C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. Which is ironic, because author Patti Callahan Henry’s novel, The Secret Book of Flora Lea, was inspired when...