The Memory Weaver Book Review

SUMMARY:  Eliza Spalding Warren was just a child when she was taken hostage by the Cayuse Indians during a massacre in 1847.  Now a mother of two, Eliza faces a new kind of dislocation: her impulsive husband wants to make a new start in another territory, which will mean leaving her beloved home and her mother's grave - and returning to the land of her captivity.

     Haunted by memories and hounded by struggle, Eliza longs to know how her mother dealt with the trauma of their ordeal.  As she searches the pages of her mother's diary, Eliza is stunned to find that her own recollections tell only part of the story.

     Based on true events, The Memory Weaver is New York Times bestselling author Jane Kirkpatrick's latest literary journey into the past, where threads of western landscapes, family, and faith weave a tapestry of hope inside every pioneering woman's heart.  Get swept up in this emotional story of the memories that entangle us and the healing that awaits us when we bravely unravel the threads of the past.

REVIEW:  Since I was not familiar with the story of the actual events, I had a difficult time fully understanding everything going on in the book.  The relationship between Eliza and her dad was a strange one.  After the death of Mrs. Spalding, Mr. Spalding treated Eliza almost like his wife - even though she was only 14 year old, putting her in charge of keeping house, taking care of her siblings, cooking for everyone and sewing and mending their clothes - but hardly communicated with her.  He would take Eliza, and sometime her brother, on preaching trips for weeks, leaving Mrs. Spalding behind.  When she eloped with her husband, her father basically disowned her and wouldn't talk to her for years. 
     The flashbacks of the hostage situation that Eliza had were difficult to follow because they happened at odd times and seemed really random.  Towards the end of the book, as Eliza confronts her fears and returns to the area where her captivity occurred, she is given her mother's diaries which, along with a few other things, helps clarify what actually transpired. 
     Even though the ending wrapped up some questions and confusion I had, this is still a novel that I might have trouble recommending.

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Jane Kirkpatrick is the New York Times and CBA bestselling author of twenty-seven books, including A Light in the Wilderness and A Sweetness to the Soul, which won the coveted Wrangler Award from the Western Heritage Center.  Her books have been awarded the WILLA Literary Award and Carol Award for Historical Fiction and have been finalists for many others.  Jane lives in Central Oregon with her husband, Jerry.  Learn more at www.jkbooks.com.

Sincerely Yours Book Review

A Novella Collection

SUMMARY:  Four unexpected letters.  Four intrepid women.  Four lives changed forever.

     Spanning a century and a continent, these romantic novellas will lead you on a journey through the landscape of love.  Four young women find their lives altered after each receives a letter that sets her on a new path.  From a Hudson River steamboat to a lush drawing room, from a carousel carver's workshop to a remote hospital, you'll be swept into the lives of women who are making their way in the world and finding love where they least expect it.

MOONLIGHT PROMISE by Laurie Alice Eakes

Camilla Renfrew is a highborn English lady fleeing false accusations when she runs smack into love on a steamboat bound for the new Erie Canal.  But can this unexpected attraction survive the treacherous journey?

 LESSONS IN LOVE by Ann Shorey

Marigold Montgomery Bentley writes marriage advice for Kipler's Home Weekly even though she is single.  Everyone assumes from the initials that "M.M." is a man.  When the editor asks to meet Mr. Bentley, can Merrie come up with a ruse to keep her writing job?

ONE LITTLE WORD by Amanda Cabot

Lorraine Caldwell will lose her family fortune to a reckless cousin if she doesn't marry quickly.  When she learns her long-lost brother is alive, she hopes she's found the answer to her problem.  What she finds instead is a mysterious carousel carver who turns her life upside down.

A SAVING GRACE by Jane Kirkpatrick

Grace Hathaway must rescue a dear friend from a remote and notorious clinic that promises healing by delivers only heartache.  In a place laced with deceit, where lives hang in the balance, whom can she trust to help her?

REVIEW:  These four novellas were fun and easy to read.   Although each story is different, they show how life can change, even with the receipt of a simple letter.  What I liked most about Laurie Alice Eakes' story is that her characters didn't decide to get married after only knowing each other for a few days even though there was a strong attraction between them.  Instead, at the end, Nathaniel asks to court Camilla to get to know her better.  That is something you don't see very often in novels these days.  It was a lovely story.

Ann Shorey's brief novel is the typical mistaken identity with a bit of a twist.  I thought it interesting that a single young lady is writing a column on godly marriages. Some of the advice she gave was good; some, I had to remember that the story was set in 1858 and not 2014 and was probably typical of that day.  The last article she wrote was very interesting.  It also had double meaning to Colin, her piano teacher and sweetheart.  This is a sweet story with a happy ending.

Amanda Cabot's main character Lorraine was a go-getter.  Even though she grew up having everything she wanted, she wasn't afraid to pitch in and help her brother's inn while he was gone on his honeymoon.  Even though she was a complete failure, she did not let it get her down and kept trying until she found something she was good at: organizing events for the guests at Lilac Hall.  Her tenacity was refreshing.  I liked how Amanda worked out all the details between Lorraine and Jonah at the end of this book.

Jane Kirkpatrick's story is based on true events that happened in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle.  Grace is a friend that we all need to have.  When her longtime friend, Rebecca, enters a questionable treatment center to get help over losing her husband, Grace goes to help her.  I like how she risks her own life to save her friend and other residents of this facility. 

This book was provided by Revell for review without compensation.

Here is a link to a giveaway Jane Kirkpatrick is having on her blog: http://janeswordsofencouragement.blogspot.com/.  

Barcelona Calling

SUMMARY:  How far will Annie go to become famous?
     Annie Shaw's dreams are far from simple:  become a famous author and fall in love.  But she's in trouble after quitting her day job to write full-time.  While her first novel was successful, her second novel tanked; and her new editor wants her to rewrite the ending of her latest work to ensure this one is more successful.  In order to pursue love, fame, and the elusive "bestseller," Annie relocates to Chicago, acquires a rambunctious dog, and participates in antics better suited to a television reality show than real life.
     Can Annie's best friends help her achieve her dreams of fame without destroying her future?  And what about the love she gave up in Barcelona who wants her to return to him?

REVIEW:  When I selected this book, the only information I had was the title and cover.  I was unable to find a description regarding what it was about.  That said, the title is a little misleading.  Thinking the book was about a woman who traveled to Barcelona and, maybe, fell in love, I selected it.  Instead, Barcelona is mentioned in reference to Annie's previous trip and the setting of her latest book.  The story is instead about Annie, who takes her friends advice to try to get her name and her latest book just published noticed by Oprah.  She does crazy (and stalkerish) type things like adopting a dog just so she can go to a dog salon once frequented by the talk show host; setting up sandwich boards and her car emblazoned with the mocked cover of her current book in progress outside of Oprah's gated estate; and getting a seat (with her dog) on a show staring Oprah's favorite chef.  Every time it turns out extremely bad for Annie: lawsuits for damages to the dog salon, tickets from the Chicago Police Department for violation of all kinds of laws; getting her face on television for setting herself on fire during the chef's show.
     It took a LONG time for me to get into this book.  At one point, I considered just skipping to the end because I felt like the author put in WAY too many details into the story.  Plus, I was bored stiff.  Well over halfway through the book (around the time she flies to Denver to talk to her publisher about her current book), it started to get a little more interesting.  The story seemed to move along better.  As for a recommendation, all I can honestly say is you may want to read this book yourself to see what you think about it.  It was not one of my favorites.  Sorry.

This book was provided by Zondervan for review without compensation.

Jane Kirkpatrick is the author of twenty books and is a two-time winner of the WILLA Literary Award. Her first novel, A Sweetness to the Soul, won the Western Heritage Wrangler Award, an honor given to writers such as Barbara Kingsolver and Larry McMurtry.  For twenty-six years she "homesteaded" with her husband Jerry, on a remote ranch in Eastern Oregon.  She now lives with Jerry and her two dogs and one cat on small acreage in Central Oregon, while she savors the value of friendships over fame.