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The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope
A Historical Novel of Spirituality and a Covert War
Grigor Fedan
2015 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Christian - Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite
A perfect blend of history and fiction, The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope: A Historical Novel of Spirituality and a Covert War by Grigor Fedan relates the history of the Templars last years through the life and adventures of William Montfort. As a young man with pure devotion to the Church, William is disappointed by the hypocrisy he sees and is given the opportunity to better serve the Lord. After becoming a Templar Knight, William embarks on a journey to the Holy Land in search of his uncle who has a secret that will change Christianity. Unfortunately, many people would kill to keep this secret hidden and it takes William and his many connections significant effort and hardship to succeed. From the English countryside to the deserts of the Middle East and back to the courts of kings and noblemen, William learns what true devotion to the Lord is. Will he be able to keep the secret safe so it can be shared or will it die with the Templars?
With dramatic action on the battle field, intrigue among the members of the king's court, and secret plots by the Templars, the reader receives a wonderful history lesson woven into the excellent narrative of a fiction story. The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope: A Historical Novel of Spirituality and a Covert War by Grigor Fedan offers a rather detailed look at the history of England, France and the Papacy in the 13th century in an engrossing fictional narrative that makes the reader cheer and cry along with the characters. Absolutely brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt as though I was living right along with the characters. The author's combination of history and fiction struck the perfect blend.
A perfect blend of history and fiction, The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope: A Historical Novel of Spirituality and a Covert War by Grigor Fedan relates the history of the Templars last years through the life and adventures of William Montfort. As a young man with pure devotion to the Church, William is disappointed by the hypocrisy he sees and is given the opportunity to better serve the Lord. After becoming a Templar Knight, William embarks on a journey to the Holy Land in search of his uncle who has a secret that will change Christianity. Unfortunately, many people would kill to keep this secret hidden and it takes William and his many connections significant effort and hardship to succeed. From the English countryside to the deserts of the Middle East and back to the courts of kings and noblemen, William learns what true devotion to the Lord is. Will he be able to keep the secret safe so it can be shared or will it die with the Templars?
With dramatic action on the battle field, intrigue among the members of the king's court, and secret plots by the Templars, the reader receives a wonderful history lesson woven into the excellent narrative of a fiction story. The Templars, Two Kings and a Pope: A Historical Novel of Spirituality and a Covert War by Grigor Fedan offers a rather detailed look at the history of England, France and the Papacy in the 13th century in an engrossing fictional narrative that makes the reader cheer and cry along with the characters. Absolutely brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and felt as though I was living right along with the characters. The author's combination of history and fiction struck the perfect blend.
Recommend this book:
The Salt Covenants
Sylvia Bambola
2015 Bronze Medal
345 Pages
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Christian - Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Kathryn Bennett for Readers' Favorite
The Salt Covenants by Sylvia Bambola is a historical fiction that takes place in Spain, starting in the year 1493. We meet Isabel who has broken her mother's heart by converting from Judaism to Christianity. Despite this, however, when she is noticed by Friar Alonso at La Casa Santa, the Holy House, she must flee or be submitted to the Inquisition. She marries a man she does not love and catches a boat to the New World as Christopher Columbus heads on his second voyage. Things take a turn and Isabel finds that she must make her way in this dangerous New World alone; will she be able to do it?
The first thing you should know about this book is that it is not a light and fluffy historical fiction; it is deep and heavy and has many layers to it. That said, it is a great read and it is that 'meat' which makes it so good. The first two chapters seem a little bit slow, but they set up a lot of details that you need for the book. Once you get past those first two chapters, however, the story seems to fly by and you will not want to put it down. I found Isabel an amazing woman for making her own choices in life in a period where a woman generally had little choice in what she did. She answered first to her family and then was married off. But this woman makes her own choices and, while she must face many hardships, she keeps moving on in the face of them. I wish I could be more like Isabel! You can tell that author Sylvia Bambola has put a lot of work into this book. Isabel shines through as a very realistic character and the backdrops of the story stand out vividly. Any historical fan is going to enjoy this book and I highly recommend it.
The Salt Covenants by Sylvia Bambola is a historical fiction that takes place in Spain, starting in the year 1493. We meet Isabel who has broken her mother's heart by converting from Judaism to Christianity. Despite this, however, when she is noticed by Friar Alonso at La Casa Santa, the Holy House, she must flee or be submitted to the Inquisition. She marries a man she does not love and catches a boat to the New World as Christopher Columbus heads on his second voyage. Things take a turn and Isabel finds that she must make her way in this dangerous New World alone; will she be able to do it?
The first thing you should know about this book is that it is not a light and fluffy historical fiction; it is deep and heavy and has many layers to it. That said, it is a great read and it is that 'meat' which makes it so good. The first two chapters seem a little bit slow, but they set up a lot of details that you need for the book. Once you get past those first two chapters, however, the story seems to fly by and you will not want to put it down. I found Isabel an amazing woman for making her own choices in life in a period where a woman generally had little choice in what she did. She answered first to her family and then was married off. But this woman makes her own choices and, while she must face many hardships, she keeps moving on in the face of them. I wish I could be more like Isabel! You can tell that author Sylvia Bambola has put a lot of work into this book. Isabel shines through as a very realistic character and the backdrops of the story stand out vividly. Any historical fan is going to enjoy this book and I highly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
The Protective Archangel
Eduardo Mayen
2015 Finalist
519 Pages
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Christian - Historical Fiction
Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite
The Protective Archangel is a historical Christian fiction by Eduardo Mayen. It consists of three stories set in significant time periods, but they are intertwined. Year 30, Joseph of Arimathea is entrusted by an Angel to protect a cross Michael the Archangel will use in future centuries to free humans from physical and mental slavery. In 1492, a priest carrying the cross boards the Archangel, a fourth ship assigned to Christopher Columbus’ expedition that has troubles at sea. Miracles occur on a Maryland plantation in 1840 after the birth of a boy named Michael, whom slaves fondly call “Boson.” He spiritually motivates people with his wisdom and caring ways, but Andrew, his father, disbelieves that men are created equal and refuses to listen to Michael’s reasoning. Evil and jealousy seep through many sources, blinding Andrew into making rash decisions that affect the well-being of his family.
Be prepared to be swept through a riveting mystical fantasy when reading The Protective Archangel by Eduardo Mayen. The novel is an absorbing, intricate drama with a theme based on love and religious beliefs, and endearing fictitious characters. Eduardo Mayen has proven his capabilities as a writer by creating this unique book, which I found spiritually thought-provoking and deeply emotional due to the sequence of events. He has cleverly combined historical facts and fiction, and has a bold writing style I admire. The intriguing stories alternate per chapter, juggling from the past to present, so readers will easily follow the drama. I highly recommend this entertaining Christian novel.
The Protective Archangel is a historical Christian fiction by Eduardo Mayen. It consists of three stories set in significant time periods, but they are intertwined. Year 30, Joseph of Arimathea is entrusted by an Angel to protect a cross Michael the Archangel will use in future centuries to free humans from physical and mental slavery. In 1492, a priest carrying the cross boards the Archangel, a fourth ship assigned to Christopher Columbus’ expedition that has troubles at sea. Miracles occur on a Maryland plantation in 1840 after the birth of a boy named Michael, whom slaves fondly call “Boson.” He spiritually motivates people with his wisdom and caring ways, but Andrew, his father, disbelieves that men are created equal and refuses to listen to Michael’s reasoning. Evil and jealousy seep through many sources, blinding Andrew into making rash decisions that affect the well-being of his family.
Be prepared to be swept through a riveting mystical fantasy when reading The Protective Archangel by Eduardo Mayen. The novel is an absorbing, intricate drama with a theme based on love and religious beliefs, and endearing fictitious characters. Eduardo Mayen has proven his capabilities as a writer by creating this unique book, which I found spiritually thought-provoking and deeply emotional due to the sequence of events. He has cleverly combined historical facts and fiction, and has a bold writing style I admire. The intriguing stories alternate per chapter, juggling from the past to present, so readers will easily follow the drama. I highly recommend this entertaining Christian novel.
Recommend this book:
The Warrior's Bride
Biblical Strategies to Help the Military Spouse Thrive
Kathy Barnett, Carrie Daws
2015 Finalist
352 Pages
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Christian - Living
Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite
The Warrior’s Bride by Kathy Barnett and Carrie Daws is a Christ-centered, scripturally based training and support manual for military wives. In a series of alternating testimonials written in an easy-to-read, conversational style, Barnett and Daws offer encouragement and guidance tailored specifically to military wives and based on significant Bible verses and scriptural teachings, all infused with the overarching message that God must be in the mix for a marriage to survive the stresses and trials of military life.
Barnett and Daws freely share their own experiences and perspectives, offering hope, advice, and scripture-inspired spiritual guidance in equal measure. The Warrior’s Bride is chock-full of hard-won wisdom applicable to such diverse topics as helplessness, depression, crises of faith, infidelity, fear of death, coping with stress, the threat of divorce, and negative influences from pornography to peer pressure. By choosing to tell their own stories with complete candor and by relating each chapter to specific, time-tested verses of scripture, Barnett and Daws establish a solid ‘you can trust me’ foundation which allows the text to read like a privileged conversation rather than a run-of-the-mill self-help treatise. The Warrior’s Bride is aptly subtitled Biblical Strategies to Help the Military Spouse Survive. It is exactly what its apt title suggests: a no-nonsense, from-the-heart spiritual toolkit for military wives whose marriages are threatened daily by forces conventional spouses can only imagine.
The Warrior’s Bride is filled with the particular warmth and caring that only a manuscript written as a gift can engender. From first word to last, it is clear that the authors earnestly wish to bring hope and comfort to their readers. In keeping with this selfless dynamic, much of the text offers insight and inspiration applicable to civilian marriages as well. The Warrior’s Bride by Kathy Barnett and Carrie Daws is an uplifting, deeply nurturing gift for the soul-weary and faith challenged, offering hope and renewal for women - and men - from all walks of life.
The Warrior’s Bride by Kathy Barnett and Carrie Daws is a Christ-centered, scripturally based training and support manual for military wives. In a series of alternating testimonials written in an easy-to-read, conversational style, Barnett and Daws offer encouragement and guidance tailored specifically to military wives and based on significant Bible verses and scriptural teachings, all infused with the overarching message that God must be in the mix for a marriage to survive the stresses and trials of military life.
Barnett and Daws freely share their own experiences and perspectives, offering hope, advice, and scripture-inspired spiritual guidance in equal measure. The Warrior’s Bride is chock-full of hard-won wisdom applicable to such diverse topics as helplessness, depression, crises of faith, infidelity, fear of death, coping with stress, the threat of divorce, and negative influences from pornography to peer pressure. By choosing to tell their own stories with complete candor and by relating each chapter to specific, time-tested verses of scripture, Barnett and Daws establish a solid ‘you can trust me’ foundation which allows the text to read like a privileged conversation rather than a run-of-the-mill self-help treatise. The Warrior’s Bride is aptly subtitled Biblical Strategies to Help the Military Spouse Survive. It is exactly what its apt title suggests: a no-nonsense, from-the-heart spiritual toolkit for military wives whose marriages are threatened daily by forces conventional spouses can only imagine.
The Warrior’s Bride is filled with the particular warmth and caring that only a manuscript written as a gift can engender. From first word to last, it is clear that the authors earnestly wish to bring hope and comfort to their readers. In keeping with this selfless dynamic, much of the text offers insight and inspiration applicable to civilian marriages as well. The Warrior’s Bride by Kathy Barnett and Carrie Daws is an uplifting, deeply nurturing gift for the soul-weary and faith challenged, offering hope and renewal for women - and men - from all walks of life.
Recommend this book:
Instigators of the Apocalypse
Kevin Timothy O'Kane
2015 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Christian - Non-Fiction
Reviewed by Rich Follett for Readers' Favorite
Sometimes, a superbly written and impeccably researched book is like a relationship: the more you invest, the more you get out of the experience. Instigators of the Apocalypse by Kevin Timothy O’Kane is a challenging, educational, and infinitely fascinating treatise that reads like the offspring of a historical fiction thriller and a doctoral dissertation in religious studies. O’Kane’s narrative focuses on the Book of Revelation and how it has been misinterpreted throughout history to foment war and strife. Beginning with the martyrdom of Ignatius in the second century AD and continuing through to present-day Islamic terrorism, O’Kane recasts known historical events in scholarly fashion and overlays the template of the Book of Revelation to make a comprehensive and persuasive argument that popular interpretations are flawed and that these misinterpretations of the Book of Revelation have been instrumental in undermining the ideals of Western civilization.
Kevin Timothy O’Kane possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of history and the sweeping mastery of church doctrine normally reserved for world religious leaders - a rare combination which can only be achieved through a lifetime of dedicated, purposeful study. What is even more remarkable is his gift for expressing complex, multi-layered relationships between fact and theory with a straightforward simplicity that renders them accessible to everyday readers. In plain, clearly sequenced steps, O’Kane codifies and clarifies major events in religious history and their relevance to current events as their dynamics play out through the ages and through the lens of revelations, misinterpreted: “The despots of the past and present are merely forerunners of the Antichrist who is yet to come. These tyrants witness to the reality of the future Antichrist but never accomplish his role completely.”
For those willing to pay close attention, Instigators of the Apocalypse by Kevin Timothy O’Kane has a great deal to teach. O’Kane’s wake-up call for a complacent world is great literature, prophecy and popular fiction all blended together to create a unique and compelling "end of days” narrative, both fascinating and foreboding.
Sometimes, a superbly written and impeccably researched book is like a relationship: the more you invest, the more you get out of the experience. Instigators of the Apocalypse by Kevin Timothy O’Kane is a challenging, educational, and infinitely fascinating treatise that reads like the offspring of a historical fiction thriller and a doctoral dissertation in religious studies. O’Kane’s narrative focuses on the Book of Revelation and how it has been misinterpreted throughout history to foment war and strife. Beginning with the martyrdom of Ignatius in the second century AD and continuing through to present-day Islamic terrorism, O’Kane recasts known historical events in scholarly fashion and overlays the template of the Book of Revelation to make a comprehensive and persuasive argument that popular interpretations are flawed and that these misinterpretations of the Book of Revelation have been instrumental in undermining the ideals of Western civilization.
Kevin Timothy O’Kane possesses an encyclopedic knowledge of history and the sweeping mastery of church doctrine normally reserved for world religious leaders - a rare combination which can only be achieved through a lifetime of dedicated, purposeful study. What is even more remarkable is his gift for expressing complex, multi-layered relationships between fact and theory with a straightforward simplicity that renders them accessible to everyday readers. In plain, clearly sequenced steps, O’Kane codifies and clarifies major events in religious history and their relevance to current events as their dynamics play out through the ages and through the lens of revelations, misinterpreted: “The despots of the past and present are merely forerunners of the Antichrist who is yet to come. These tyrants witness to the reality of the future Antichrist but never accomplish his role completely.”
For those willing to pay close attention, Instigators of the Apocalypse by Kevin Timothy O’Kane has a great deal to teach. O’Kane’s wake-up call for a complacent world is great literature, prophecy and popular fiction all blended together to create a unique and compelling "end of days” narrative, both fascinating and foreboding.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/follow-the-light-the-shrouds-revelations&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41R5q4NhQRL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description="Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations" is the story of T.C. Newman and her daughter, Jessica, as they worked together to determine how the image on the Shroud of Turin was actually formed. The project began as the result of their watching a special on television of the first photographs taken of the Shroud in 1898, and the startling image rev...){kind=link}
Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations
T. C. Newman
2015 Honorable Mention
116 Pages
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Christian - Non-Fiction
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
"Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations" is the story of T.C. Newman and her daughter, Jessica, as they worked together to determine how the image on the Shroud of Turin was actually formed. The project began as the result of their watching a special on television of the first photographs taken of the Shroud in 1898, and the startling image revealed in the negatives of those photographs. Jessica, then aged eight, wondered if the Shroud itself were a photograph. She and her mother discussed how a photograph was made, and they set out to see if that were the case. They started their studies using Jessica's Ken doll to see if they could duplicate the shadows cast on the face on the Shroud. This project, which continued on and off for over 30 years, resulted in sculptures made by reflecting light on the clay figure and carving out or adding in clay to reflect the negative image of the Shroud.
Newman's account of her and Jessica's attempt to solve the mystery of the Shroud is a fascinating tale. The development of the theory from the first impressions through to the actual painted image at the end of the text is clearly described with graphic images added to help the reader follow each process. I enjoyed the interplay of mother and daughter as they discovered the way the light source could be duplicated and the description of the sculpting process. This book is well-written and documents an illuminating project from its inception through to some startling conclusions. "Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations" is well worth reading and quite thought-provoking.
"Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations" is the story of T.C. Newman and her daughter, Jessica, as they worked together to determine how the image on the Shroud of Turin was actually formed. The project began as the result of their watching a special on television of the first photographs taken of the Shroud in 1898, and the startling image revealed in the negatives of those photographs. Jessica, then aged eight, wondered if the Shroud itself were a photograph. She and her mother discussed how a photograph was made, and they set out to see if that were the case. They started their studies using Jessica's Ken doll to see if they could duplicate the shadows cast on the face on the Shroud. This project, which continued on and off for over 30 years, resulted in sculptures made by reflecting light on the clay figure and carving out or adding in clay to reflect the negative image of the Shroud.
Newman's account of her and Jessica's attempt to solve the mystery of the Shroud is a fascinating tale. The development of the theory from the first impressions through to the actual painted image at the end of the text is clearly described with graphic images added to help the reader follow each process. I enjoyed the interplay of mother and daughter as they discovered the way the light source could be duplicated and the description of the sculpting process. This book is well-written and documents an illuminating project from its inception through to some startling conclusions. "Follow the Light, the Shroud's Revelations" is well worth reading and quite thought-provoking.
Recommend this book:
The Fracking War
Michael J Fitzgerald
2015 Finalist
407 Pages
Check current price
Fiction - Action
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
The Fracking War by Michael J Fitzgerald is an eco-political thriller. Jack Stafford has been in the reporting business for years. He leaves his job in California and goes back to his roots in New York, to The Horsehead Clarion where he got his first job working for Walter. Walter is still running the paper and he wants Jack to cover a column about hydro fracking. What starts out as a simple job reporting the facts takes an ugly turn when a group of protesters, who call themselves the Wolverines and have modeled themselves on the fictional story of The Monkey Wrench Gang, takes matter further than simple protesting. Jack follows the story, reporting on the problems caused by hydro fracking; the pollution to water, the illness and deaths to people, animals, and the inevitable increase in crime. The lies become more elaborate and the consequences more severe as Jack, with the help of Devon and Eli, pushes to get at the truth. Truth or fiction? You decide.
The Fracking War by Michael J Fitzgerald was one of the most gripping stories I have read in some time. This is a real human interest story, something so close to the truth that we should all be sitting up and taking notice. I loved the way that, although this is fiction, it is written as though the author were narrating a true series of events and that lent it an air of realism. I found the characters to be very well suited to the story and the plot was well laid out; it’s clear that a good deal of time and effort has gone into this book. I would urge anyone who has an interest in politics, human interest, ecology, and the environment to pick up this book – you won’t put it down until you’ve finished.
The Fracking War by Michael J Fitzgerald is an eco-political thriller. Jack Stafford has been in the reporting business for years. He leaves his job in California and goes back to his roots in New York, to The Horsehead Clarion where he got his first job working for Walter. Walter is still running the paper and he wants Jack to cover a column about hydro fracking. What starts out as a simple job reporting the facts takes an ugly turn when a group of protesters, who call themselves the Wolverines and have modeled themselves on the fictional story of The Monkey Wrench Gang, takes matter further than simple protesting. Jack follows the story, reporting on the problems caused by hydro fracking; the pollution to water, the illness and deaths to people, animals, and the inevitable increase in crime. The lies become more elaborate and the consequences more severe as Jack, with the help of Devon and Eli, pushes to get at the truth. Truth or fiction? You decide.
The Fracking War by Michael J Fitzgerald was one of the most gripping stories I have read in some time. This is a real human interest story, something so close to the truth that we should all be sitting up and taking notice. I loved the way that, although this is fiction, it is written as though the author were narrating a true series of events and that lent it an air of realism. I found the characters to be very well suited to the story and the plot was well laid out; it’s clear that a good deal of time and effort has gone into this book. I would urge anyone who has an interest in politics, human interest, ecology, and the environment to pick up this book – you won’t put it down until you’ve finished.
Recommend this book:
The Civilian
Michael Bickel
2015 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Fiction - Adventure
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
The Civilian is an adventure story written by Michael Bickel. Robert Caron is only 32 years old, and he's just received a death sentence. The cancer that killed his father and uncle is now killing him. Robert is in a daze as he goes through his ordinary motions. He goes back to his job in a call center and continues hawking magazine subscriptions until a perceptive and kind older woman's words cause him to stop and realize what was actually happening. He walks off the job and goes to a funeral home to arrange his burial. The next day, government agents come to his apartment with a request for him. They want him to assassinate a South American drug lord. Caron, it seems, is related to the drug lord's beloved wife, and he's their best chance at getting close enough to make the killing.
Michael Bickel's psychological thriller, The Civilian, is taut and suspenseful. Caron, a hypochondriac and germophobe, was barely alive until his death was staring him in the face. It seems to free him to become the action and adventure hero that he never dreamed of becoming; a man who acts decisively and forcefully. I was quickly wrapped up in Caron's dilemma and resulting transformation. Bickel's characters are sharply defined and striking, especially Agent Young, the sociopathic government assassin who takes Robert under his wing. This fast-paced and exciting thriller is filled with intense images of the drug lord's compound and the underworld Caron infiltrates armed with nothing more than a poison pill and the prescription medication that's keeping him alive. This tightly scripted and elegant tale resonates long after the last paragraph is read. The Civilian is most highly recommended.
The Civilian is an adventure story written by Michael Bickel. Robert Caron is only 32 years old, and he's just received a death sentence. The cancer that killed his father and uncle is now killing him. Robert is in a daze as he goes through his ordinary motions. He goes back to his job in a call center and continues hawking magazine subscriptions until a perceptive and kind older woman's words cause him to stop and realize what was actually happening. He walks off the job and goes to a funeral home to arrange his burial. The next day, government agents come to his apartment with a request for him. They want him to assassinate a South American drug lord. Caron, it seems, is related to the drug lord's beloved wife, and he's their best chance at getting close enough to make the killing.
Michael Bickel's psychological thriller, The Civilian, is taut and suspenseful. Caron, a hypochondriac and germophobe, was barely alive until his death was staring him in the face. It seems to free him to become the action and adventure hero that he never dreamed of becoming; a man who acts decisively and forcefully. I was quickly wrapped up in Caron's dilemma and resulting transformation. Bickel's characters are sharply defined and striking, especially Agent Young, the sociopathic government assassin who takes Robert under his wing. This fast-paced and exciting thriller is filled with intense images of the drug lord's compound and the underworld Caron infiltrates armed with nothing more than a poison pill and the prescription medication that's keeping him alive. This tightly scripted and elegant tale resonates long after the last paragraph is read. The Civilian is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
The Sort of Life of Julie Winterfeldt
Tracy A. Fischer
2015 Finalist
272 Pages
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Fiction - Chick Lit
Reviewed by Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite
Just when we think we've achieved the life of our dreams, the proverbial “you know what” tends to hit the proverbial fan. Julie Winterfeldt finds herself in the starring role of such a predicament when her marriage dissolves in unexpected turmoil, leaving her disillusioned, disappointed, disheartened, and totally humiliated. Without the unconditional support of her very financially privileged best friend, Julie cannot imagine suffering through life’s new plan for her. Divorce is demeaning enough, but when a severe stomach virus turns into an unplanned pregnancy, unemployed and homeless Julie is forced into an equally privileged lifestyle as Kate’s housemate. Kate’s enthusiasm as Julie’s caregiver and surrogate “aunt” to the new arrival illustrates a different side to their lifelong friendship. In an attempt to “pay her way”, Julie dives into Kate’s daily routine of volunteer work. While helping at a local children’s shelter, Kate learns the true joy that mentoring young people can offer her own life. Not only does she break the cardinal rule, allowing her heart to open fully to the children in her charge, Julie also learns what her role as a mother is.
I love, love, love this story. The author's use of humor and sensitivity is the perfect combination for an entertaining read. I couldn't stop reading The Sort of Life of Julie Winterfeldt. Author Tracy A. Fischer designed the perfect feel good story that leaves this reader anxious to read more from her. The Sort of Life of Julie Winterfeldt falls so effortlessly into mainstream women’s fiction that its success is inevitable. From the very first sentence, I realized that Julie Winterfeldt is every woman’s friend.
Just when we think we've achieved the life of our dreams, the proverbial “you know what” tends to hit the proverbial fan. Julie Winterfeldt finds herself in the starring role of such a predicament when her marriage dissolves in unexpected turmoil, leaving her disillusioned, disappointed, disheartened, and totally humiliated. Without the unconditional support of her very financially privileged best friend, Julie cannot imagine suffering through life’s new plan for her. Divorce is demeaning enough, but when a severe stomach virus turns into an unplanned pregnancy, unemployed and homeless Julie is forced into an equally privileged lifestyle as Kate’s housemate. Kate’s enthusiasm as Julie’s caregiver and surrogate “aunt” to the new arrival illustrates a different side to their lifelong friendship. In an attempt to “pay her way”, Julie dives into Kate’s daily routine of volunteer work. While helping at a local children’s shelter, Kate learns the true joy that mentoring young people can offer her own life. Not only does she break the cardinal rule, allowing her heart to open fully to the children in her charge, Julie also learns what her role as a mother is.
I love, love, love this story. The author's use of humor and sensitivity is the perfect combination for an entertaining read. I couldn't stop reading The Sort of Life of Julie Winterfeldt. Author Tracy A. Fischer designed the perfect feel good story that leaves this reader anxious to read more from her. The Sort of Life of Julie Winterfeldt falls so effortlessly into mainstream women’s fiction that its success is inevitable. From the very first sentence, I realized that Julie Winterfeldt is every woman’s friend.
Recommend this book:
A Place in the World
Cinda Crabbe MacKinnon
2015 Silver Medal
342 Pages
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Fiction - Cultural
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
A Place in the World by Cinda Crabbe MacKinnon is set against the backdrop of Colombia. Alicia, a young American, marries into a wealthy Colombian coffee growing family. A biologist, she is transported into her husband Jorge's world where she lives on a coffee finca. As they learn more about coffee growing, Alicia is fascinated by the world around her. They slowly fall into a steady pattern in their lives, but a lot of other upheavals cause a dent in their relationship. Jorge leaves Alicia with their son and moves to Bogota with his family while she struggles to rebuild the coffee finca which is destroyed due to a volcanic eruption. This compelling book is a story of love, loss, grit, perseverance, determination, and it gives readers an insight into life in Colombia.
The book has many layers to it which makes it an entertaining and engaging read. All the characters are portrayed well. Alicia, Carmen, the housekeeper with whom Alicia forms a strong friendship, Jorge and Peter, the American geologist, are all memorable and will challenge the thinking of readers as they are taken into the historical, economic and political changes happening in Colombia. Many women readers will be able to relate to the character of Alicia and her struggle to support her family in a male dominated society. The author does an excellent job weaving a story alongside 1970s Colombia, the coffee finca, the people, the culture, and the fauna and flora of the country.
A Place in the World by Cinda Crabbe MacKinnon is set against the backdrop of Colombia. Alicia, a young American, marries into a wealthy Colombian coffee growing family. A biologist, she is transported into her husband Jorge's world where she lives on a coffee finca. As they learn more about coffee growing, Alicia is fascinated by the world around her. They slowly fall into a steady pattern in their lives, but a lot of other upheavals cause a dent in their relationship. Jorge leaves Alicia with their son and moves to Bogota with his family while she struggles to rebuild the coffee finca which is destroyed due to a volcanic eruption. This compelling book is a story of love, loss, grit, perseverance, determination, and it gives readers an insight into life in Colombia.
The book has many layers to it which makes it an entertaining and engaging read. All the characters are portrayed well. Alicia, Carmen, the housekeeper with whom Alicia forms a strong friendship, Jorge and Peter, the American geologist, are all memorable and will challenge the thinking of readers as they are taken into the historical, economic and political changes happening in Colombia. Many women readers will be able to relate to the character of Alicia and her struggle to support her family in a male dominated society. The author does an excellent job weaving a story alongside 1970s Colombia, the coffee finca, the people, the culture, and the fauna and flora of the country.
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