Sunday, October 8, 2023

On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni



Cora Matthews has long wondered why her mother stopped taking her to visit her grandparents' lodge in the small Northwoods Minnesota town of Moonberry Lake. Now, after burying her mother and breaking off her engagement just two weeks before her wedding, Cora has a chance to find out. Once there, she is stunned to learn that the old lodge is her inheritance--with a surprising condition attached. Maybe some time to regroup on the shores of a beautiful lake is just what Cora needs to figure out what's next for her.

But Cora's days on the lake are anything but relaxing. The only thing that's a bigger mess than her own life is the dilapidated building she's living in. Add a cantankerous handywoman, an angry neighbor, and an elderly woman who spends all her time talking to the "residents" in the cemetery and Cora's not sure she can stick it out. But if she can, she may find a love she never expected--from the most unexpected people imaginable. This homespun tale of new friendships, sweet romance, and ordinary miracles will have you wishing you could spend a summer (or a lifetime) on Moonberry Lake.


CAFE LILY'S REVIEW:

I've always heard it said that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I did this time. The cover of this book grabbed my attention immediately and I loved it. While I loved the cover, I did not love this book. First, the print is very tiny and hard to read. I found it very taxing on my eyes. More importantly, though, I was disappointed with the New Age references and dialogue in this story. The "Christian" elements of this book are anemic and not what I expect from Revell. The characters were a bit much and a little out there for me. I just had a really hard time connecting to this one.


Monday, September 18, 2023

He Should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox


Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together.

When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved.

As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.


Cafe Lily's Review:

The main themes of this book revolve around change, loss, grief, trust, grace, and so much more. And of course, the information readers learn about beekeeping and the habits of bees is interesting as well and nicely woven into the story. There's a hint of romance too but I like that it wasn't made the main focus of the storyline. I wanted to love this book but the print is very very small, which made it difficult for me to read. It took me much longer than normal, due to the print size. If you need larger print, this is very tiny and taxing to read. I was surprised to see such an unusually small font. 

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

With Every Memory Janine Rosche



After a tragic accident robs her of the last nine years of memories, Lori Mendenhall comes home to a family completely different than she remembers. As her memory returns and past secrets resurface, it will take all of them to repair what's been broken and find a new future together.

Cafe Lily's Review:

The topic of this book was very intriguing to me which is why I agreed to review it. I wanted to see where the author would take me as I followed Lori Mendenhall on her journey. I started to get into the story at the very beginning but slowly lost interest as the pages turned. There suddenly became a bit too much going on all at once.  

I didn't like most of the characters, to be honest. I did connect most with Lori, but I found Xander and Avery to be annoying. I think it was the back-and-forth style in which this is written from various points of view that made it feel very disconnected to me at times and I grew bored. And while there are no overly descriptive parts or profanity, it does get a bit edgy so you need to be aware of that. More conservative readers will probably want to avoid this one.

Make sure you read the author's note at the beginning. To her list of topics, I would add high school bullying, sexual innuendos, and the car accident.

This was the very first book of Janine's that I've read. I have mixed emotions about whether or not I will seek out her other books. I was disappointed that God and faith were not a more vital/central part of this story. I don't think a book has to "preach" but I honestly didn't see much redemption in this story other than what the characters worked out for themselves. 

It was more about what they discovered on their own (regarding themselves), rather than turning to God in the midst of the tragedy.

I really believe this could have been made into a more meaningful story reflecting God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness in the lives of these characters. It just wasn't quite what I expected. 


Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith


Daughter of Eden

Eve's Story

Monday, October 31, 2022

Anything But Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher




It's not easy being the bishop's daughter, especially for Lydie Stoltzfus. She's not like other Amish girls, as much as she wishes she were. The only thing she does well is disappoint others. Leaving her family and church seems unbearable, but staying might be worse.

Knowing Lydie is "between" jobs, the local doctor asks her to fill in at the front desk for a few months. To Lydie, this is a boon. It gives her time to figure out how she's going to say goodbye to her neighbor, Nathan Yoder--the main reason she needs to leave Stoney Ridge. Nathan claims he's in love with her, but she knows she's not good enough for him. If in doubt, Nathan's father reminds her frequently.

As Dok spends time with Lydie, she recognizes symptoms of a disorder rare among the Amish. She offers treatment for Lydie. But will it be enough to make her stay? Or has help come too late?

Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge, a small town that feels like an old friend.

Cafe Lily's Review:

I have read a lot of Amish fiction and if you prefer this genre, I recommend this book. It was interesting that the author included ADHD as part of her storyline. This was an unusual twist and made the story more intriguing for me. It was obvious that the author did her research and made this book more relevant since so many readers will be able to relate to this family and community.


Monday, May 16, 2022

When The Meadow Blooms by Ann Gabhart






In the wake of the 1918 influenza epidemic, widow Rose Meadows and her daughters take refuge with her scarred and reclusive brother-in-law at his Kentucky farm. The whole family has been through terrible trauma. Will the life-giving fresh air at Meadowland provide the nurturing environment they need to rediscover hope and healing? 384 pages, softcover from Baker.


Cafe Lily's Review:

I am a long time reader of Ann's books and she is one of my favorite authors. Having said that, this was not my favorite book by her. 

I do enjoy her gift of being able to bring historical fiction alive. Ann has the ability to take events from history and then flesh out the story with interesting characters.

This story moved really slow for me, especially at the beginning. I had a hard time connecting with the book and this is typically NOT the case for me, with Ann's books.

At one point I almost put it down and then it began to pick up and I was able to get into the story but overall it just didn't read as well as some of the author's other titles.

If you don't care for this book I strongly encourage you to read some of her other titles before you decide if she's an author you'd like to continue reading. 

This one felt a bit "off" for me, compared to what I am so used to from this author.


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Revell Reads blogger program. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


Wednesday, August 4, 2021

The Nature of Small Birds by Susie Finkbeiner


The story in this book is as beautiful as the cover. I love birds so this cover immediately caught my eye. 

While the author tells this story through different voices and time periods, it flows effortlessly and was easy to follow. I connected deeply with the characters and found myself sad to leave them when I turned the last page. I became completely engrossed with this family, and there were some surprising twist and turns.

Prior to reading this, I did not know anything about Operation Babylift after the Vietnam war.

Over 3300 children were brought over from Vietnam to the United States which had many Americans wondering if this action was justified or simply a political move. The Nature of Small Birds gives readers an inside look at what this period of history might have looked and felt like for those who were involved. This story addresses the birth mothers forced to give up their children and those here welcoming them with open arms. 

This is one of the best book I've read so far in 2021. I highly recommend it!