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 | Feb 6, 2024 | Book Reviews
Since November 2021, I featured and reviewed 80 books on my Standout Stories blog (as of February 2024). Time to “organize” them all! Here’s a convenient index for easy reference. Titles are categorized according to genre as well as setting, era, topics, and...
by Laura DeNooyer | Jun 6, 2023 | Book Reviews
In Michigan during World War II, my grandfather and his brother had to cease selling automobiles at the car dealership they’d built from the ground up since 1926. All consumer cars, trucks, and parts production halted from February 1942 to October 1945. Even...
by Laura DeNooyer | Apr 25, 2023 | Book Reviews
Author Cathy Gohlke does not hesitate delving into rough territory through her novels, going where angels fear to tread. With masterful storytelling, she champions the oppressed and victims of abuse. This includes those found in Christian circles—abuse that nobody...
by Laura DeNooyer | Mar 28, 2023 | Book Reviews
When I realized that The Right Kind of Fool by Sarah Loudin Thomas had a deaf protagonist, I didn’t know if I was ready to tackle that story not. How do you write from the perspective of a boy who can neither hear nor speak? How do you convey his experiences without...
