Saturday, July 16, 2016

A Flight of Arrows | Review & Giveaway



A Flight of Arrows

The Pathfinders #2
WaterBrook Press (Penguin Random House)
April 19, 2016
ISBN-10: 1601427344
ISBN-13: 978-1601427342

Hearts are divided.
Loyalties will be tested.
The fates of two families hang in the balance.


Twenty years ago, during the devastating fall of Fort William Henry in 1757, a young Redcoat named Reginald Aubrey stole a new-born boy--the lighter-skinned of Oneida twins--and raised him as his own.

No one connected to Reginald escaped unscathed from this crime. Not his adopted daughter Anna. Not Stone Thrower, the Native American father determined to get his son back. Not Two Hawks, William's twin brother separated since birth, living in the shadow of his absence and hoping to build a future with Anna. Nor Lydia, who longs for Reginald to be free from his self-imposed emotional prison and embrace God's forgiveness--and her love.

Now William, whose identity has been shattered after discovering the truth of his birth, hides in the ranks of an increasingly aggressive British army. The Redcoats prepare to attack frontier New York, and the Continentals, aided by Two Hawks and the Oneida warriors, rally to defend it. As the Revolutionary War penetrates the Mohawk Valley, two families separated by culture but united by love and faith must find a way to reclaim the son marching toward them in the ranks of their enemies.

Read the first chapter.
Buy Your Copy: B&N | Amazon | CBD

My Review: If any of you follow me on Goodreads, you know that it normally does not take me long to read a good book (2-3 days). There were several reasons it was hard for me to read this book, none of which had ANYTHING to do with the book itself. A Flight of Arrows is powerful, compelling, and intense. The story is heart-wrenching and had me in its grips from beginning to end. This is not a story for the faint of heart or those of you looking for a fun, light-hearted read.

Lori does an excellent job of describing the war between the British and Americans. She describes the scenery, emotions, and battles in vivid detail (without being too graphic). She also excels in keeping us informed on what is going on both with the menfolk and womenfolk involved in the story, even though they are not together for most of it. This story invokes a powerful feeling of the fear, anxiety, and anger present during the Revolutionary War.

The characters made the story. Lydia, Anna Catherine, Two Hawks, William, Stone Thrower, Reginald and Good Voice come together in an amazing way, and you can see the work of the Lord in each of their lives. The heartache, joys, disappointments, fear, and anger each character feels is gripping and raw and powerful. My heart swelled with emotion for each blow these characters took, and cried in joy with each moment of happiness they were rewarded with. Lori made the characters come to life in my mind with each page.

Now, the reason I had such a hard time reading this book is because of the message. It hit home FOR REAL Y’ALL. Each of these characters had to make choices that would affect the rest of their lives, for the better or worse. The paths we walk are not always clear, as each character comes to realize, but if we ask the Lord for guidance in earnest, He will direct our paths. Two Hawks says it best, “Life is a blessing, but it is also a testing. Take the one as you do the other and trust Him who allows all.

Overall, I absolutely LOVED this powerful, emotionally challenging story. I cannot wait to read more from the Pathfinders series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.*



Lori Benton was raised east of the Appalachian Mountains, surrounded by early American history going back three hundred years. Her novels transport readers to the eighteenth century, where she brings to life the Colonial and early Federal periods of American history. When she isn’t writing, reading, or researching, Lori enjoys exploring the Oregon wilderness with her husband. She is the author of Burning Sky, recipient of three Christy Awards, and The Pursuit of Tamsen Littlejohn.



GIVEAWAY:
I have a copy of this amazing story to give away! To enter, comment on this post: Have you read Lori Benton's books? If so, which is your favorite? 

Giveaway will end SATURDAY, JULY 23 at MIDNIGHT (EST).
*Blogging for Books provided me with two copies of A Flight of Arrows in exchange for my honest review. They are not affiliated with this giveaway.*

Saturday, July 2, 2016

No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer



No Other Will Do
A Ladies of Harper Station Novel
Bethany House, June 2016
ISBN-13: 9780764212819

Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

Purchase your copy: B&N | Amazon | CBD
Read an excerpt.

My Review: Karen Witemeyer writes another engaging, romantically fantastic story! I loved it from beginning to end. It will pull at your heart strings; make you laugh, and keep you hooked until the very end. I love the idea of “women’s colony,” and I fell in love with all the women at Harper’s Station. The spunk and determination they showed in the face of danger and conflict made for some exciting moments.

Emma Chandler is a woman that I would love to meet. Her compassion for others (especially women in need), enthusiasm for whatever she does, and her humble faith makes her an engaging and unique woman. I also loved the fact that even though she sided with the Women’s Suffrage movement, she still saw the value of men, especially Malachi Shaw. Malachi Shaw is a man with many hurts haunting him. It causes him to hold people at arm’s length, only creating surface relationships with the people he encounters. I can understand that and empathize. I loved watching their relationship grow. Even after ten years, you could feel the connection they had coming through the pages. Karen Witemeyer provides a host of side characters, and gives just information about them to intrigue without encroaching on the main story.

I loved the message Mrs. Witemeyer wove expertly into this story. Psalm 18 says that the Lord is our rock and our strength. Both Emma and Mal learn, through the trials they are face that all they need to do is cry out to Him and he will deliver them. Watching them struggle to trust God with their problems is something we can all relate to.

Overall, I find this story enchanting. I absolutely loved it and I hope Mrs. Witemeyer will write more stories about the ladies at Harper’s Station.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Bethany House blogging program in exchange for my honest review which I have given.*



Christy Award finalist and winner the ACFW Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes Christian historical romance for Bethany House, believing the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.