Lady of a Thousand Treasures

Lady of a Thousand Treasures is written by Sandra Byrd.  When you meet Eleanor Sheffield on the opening pages of this book, the year is 1866.  Eleanor has been working for years as a collector and evaluator of antiquities, first with her father and now, after her father's death, with her aging uncle and another college.  Eleanor is doing all she can, in a man's world, to keep her family business, Sheffield Brothers, open and successfully in operation!

When a wealthy client, Baron Lydney, passes away, he leaves instructions that Eleanor must decide whether to leave his legendary collection of treasures to his son, Harry or to a museum in England.  The situation is complicated by the fact that during their youth, Eleanor and Harry had a romantic interest.  The question is whether she will be able to make a decision based solely on the facts of which recipient is most deserving!

As you walk this path with Eleanor, you will find that she does not know who she can trust.  Friends of old or acquaintances she has made along the way.  When Eleanor's business runs into financial difficulties, you do not know how she and those she loves will survive.  Hang on to discover the ending to this rather rocky road!

I received this book from Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

Jesus, Our Perfect Hope

Jesus, Our Perfect Hope is the latest devotional from Charles F. Stanley.  This devotional has the perfect title for the crazy world in which we live today!

In this book, Dr. Stanley daily leads us through God's Word, to show us His Truth that we can hold onto in moments where we need to find His hope!

This is a beautiful book that would make a wonderful gift for those we hold dear!

I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

Swimming in the Deep End

Swimming in the Deep End, by new author Christina Suzann Nelson, is a tale I will not soon forget!

This book is set up to tell the same story from four different perspectives.  First, you meet Jillian, mother to Izzy, a teenager who has a life ahead of her in competitive swimming.  Jillian daily struggles with a secret, she has kept hidden for twenty years.  Then, you are introduced to Izzy, whose life is about to change, when she discovers she is pregnant.  Izzy and her boyfriend, Travis, must make some serious life decisions!

Next, you hear the story from Margaret's perspective, a single mother, who has been struggling to raise four sons.  Margaret does not know which way to turn when her son, Travis, dies in a automobile accident.  Finally, you meet Stacey, a young woman who is unable to become pregnant.  Stacey and her husband have moved to a new home, after their efforts to adopt ended in failure.  It has been two years and they are finally ready to give adoption another chance!

This book will have you reading page after page to discover where each of these characters land.  By the end of this tale, you will learn some jaw dropping details about one of the prominent figures you meet along the way.  You definitely will see God at work in each of these lives!

I received a copy of this book from Kregel Publications in exchange for my unbiased review.

A Sparkle of Silver

Liz Johnson's latest series begins with A Sparkle of Silver.  This tale opens with Millie Sullivan visiting her grandmother.  Millie does not know what to think when her grandmother does not even recognize her!

When her grandmother suddenly becomes alert, Millie hears a story of old.  One summer in the 1920s, her great-grandmother was visiting at Chateau Hawkins, a oil tycoon's summer home.  Her great-grandmother has left a diary containing details of her visit and most importantly, a map to a treasure left behind!

When Millie learns that her grandmother is soon to be kicked out the nursing home, she knows she must find a new source of funding.  After her grandmother was caught up in a financial scam, she has nothing left to pay for new housing!

In an effort to help her grandmother, Millie decides to take a job at the historic Chateau.  Millie soons meets up with co-worker, Ben Thornton.  These two, each for reasons of their own, decide to team up in an effort to locate the missing treasure!

Hold on until the final page to discover if Millie and Ben are ever able to find the treasure, as they sneak around this ancient home!

I received this book from Revell in exchange for my honest review.

Catching Christmas

On the opening pages of Terri Blackstock's latest tale Catching Christmas, you see eighty-year-old, Callie Beecher, call for a ride to her doctor's office.  The taxi-driver, Finn Parrish, has no idea how his life is about to change.  Before he knows it, Finn is driving Callie all around town in an attempt to complete some very important errands before the Christmas holiday!

While Finn is busy transporting Callie from place to place, her granddaughter, Sydney Batson, is working her tail off, trying to keep her job as a first-year lawyer.  When Sydney and Finn finally meet, you will see them work together to give Callie a Christmas she will never forget!

The end of this tale brought tears to my eyes.  You definitely will see God at work in each life.  This short book is definitely worth the read!

I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis

Becoming Mrs. Lewis, written by Patti Callahan, is the beautiful retelling of the friendship and eventually the marriage of Joy Davidman and C.S. (Jack) Lewis.  You will feel the joy and the pain of the life circumstances that both Joy and Jack must walk through!

The reader will get an up close look at the pain and uncertainty that Joy walks through during the  infidelity and drunkenness of her first husband.  After the darkness of the days of her marriage, Joy will find new hope as God leads her to a new life in England.  Her friendship with Jack, which began in letters exchanged across the ocean, would grow into something so much more!

When the hardships of life descend on Joy and Jack, you will see them both draw near to their God.  This is tale not to be missed!

I received this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.

An Hour Unspent

An Hour Unspent will wrap up Roseanna M. White's Shadows Over England series.  You will again see this group of orphans, who have joined together to form an atypical family.  This latest tale will focus on the leader of the group, Barclay Pierce!

Barclay experienced a life-change, when he came face-to-face with the God in an earlier book in this series.  Now, rather than haunting the streets of London, stealing whatever he can to support his family, Barclay has found work with the British government to help in the war effort!

Barclay's latest job is to make contact with Mr. Manning, a watchmaker in England, who is working on a device that could assist the English pilots in their battle against Germany, in the early days of WWI.  Barclay soon meets the watchmaker's daughter, Evelina, and he knows his life will never be the same!

When the watchmaker suddenly winds up missing, his family can only fear that he has left, due to family quarrels.  You will not believe what happens next.  Barclay discovers that the clockmaker did not run away, but rather he has been kidnapped by the enemies of England, to get their hands on his design!

Watch and see what happens to the relationship between Barclay and Evelina, as they search high and low for the location of where the watchmaker has been hidden!