When Mountains Move Book Review

SUMMARY:  In a few hours, Millie will say "I do" to Bump Anderson, a man who loves her through and through.  But would he love her if he knew the secret she keeps?
     Millie's mind is racing and there seems to be no clear line between right and wrong.  Either path leads to pain, and she'll do anything to protect the ones she loves.  So she decides to bury the truth and begin again, helping Bump launch a ranch in the wilds of Colorado.  But just when she thinks she's left her old Mississippi life behind, the facts surface in the most challenging way.
     That's when Millie's grandmother, Oka, arrives to help.  Relying on her age-old Choctaw traditions, Oka teaches Millie the power of second chances.  Millie resists, believing redemption is about as likely as moving mountains.  But Oka stands strong, modeling forgiveness as the only true path to freedom.
     Together, Bump, Millie and Oka fight against all odds to create a sustainable ranch, all while learning that the important lessons of their pasts can be used to build a beautiful future.

REVIEW:  Author Julie Cantrell does not disappoint in her most recent novel.  Even though this is a follow-up to her book Into the Free, it stands well on it's own.  There were a few times I would liked to have had more information or I felt that something was missing to completely understand the feelings going on but the author does a great job of filling in the gaps. 
     This book is set in Mississippi and Colorado during World War II.  Life was very difficult on the ranch Millie and Bump started.  In fact, they literally started from scratch, living in a falling down shack with no running water and an outhouse.   I like how Millie doesn't balk when she sees how much work has to be done on the ranch but pitches in and gives it her all. 
     Millie is carrying a secret she is afraid to tell Bump, fearing he wouldn't understand.  This secret starts to cause problems when friends from home come to visit.  I love how the author has Bump find out and the answer to the overhanging problem it causes, even though it is a little graphic.  Ms. Cantrell also goes into a little more detail regarding Millie and Bump's "personal" life than I wanted but all is well.
     This book was great and kept me turning the pages.  Julie Cantrell is one who is not afraid to touch on difficult subjects.  I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

This book was provided by Fiction Guild and Thomas Nelson Publishers 

for review without any compensation.

Julie Cantrell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free, the 2013 Christy Award winning Book of the Year and recipient of the Mississippi Library Association's Fiction Award.  Cantrell has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship.  Her second novel, When Mountains Move, won the 2014 Carol Award for Historical Fiction and, like he debut, was selected for several Top Reads lists.  Visit her online at www.juliecantrell.com, Facebook: juliecantrellauthor; Twitter: @JulieCantrell; and Pinterest: juliecantrell.

The Feathered Bone Book Review

SUMMARY:  In the pre-Katrina glow of New Orleans, Amanda Salassi is anxious about chaperoning her daughter's sixth-grade field trip to the Big Easy during Halloween.  And then her worst fears come true.  Her daughter's best friend, Sarah, disappears amid the magic and revelry---gone, without a trace.
     Unable to cope with her guilt, Amanda's daughter sinks into depression.  And Amanda's husband turns destructive as he watches his family succumb to grief.  Before long, Amanda's whole world has collapsed.
     Amanda knows she has to save herself before it's too late.  As she continues to search for Sarah, she embarks on a personal journey, seeking hope and purpose in the wake of so much tragedy and loss.
     Set amidst the murky parishes of rural Louisiana and told through the eyes of two women who confront the darkest corners of humanity with quiet and unbreakable faith, The Feathered Bone is Julie Cantrell's master portrait of love in a fallen world.

REVIEW:  This is one book I really didn't want to read.  I kept putting it off until I couldn't do so any longer.  The thought of reading about a young girl who was lost in New Orleans on a field trip and the mom who was supposed to be keeping an eye on her gave me knots in my stomach and made my heart hurt.  But, when I started reading the story, saw how the author handled difficult subjects, I couldn't put it down.  It was hard not to read fast to find out what happened in the end.
     Now, it does deal with some very difficult subjects like child abduction, sex trafficking, depression, spousal abuse, and suicide but it also shows the reader there is hope, grace, love, forgiveness, faith, and strength, even in difficult times.  Ms. Cantrell doesn't hold back any punches but does deal with difficult and sensitive subjects with a delicate touch, letting you see just enough to know what is occurring but not enough to turn the reader away. 
     Probably my favorite thing was Sarah's parents offering grace, love, and forgiveness to Amanda.  Beth and Amanda were best friends, as their daughters' were.  Instead of railing again her for taking her eye off Sarah, Beth and Preacher are loving, supportive and forgiving, knowing Amanda is beating herself up. 
     If you are looking for something to shake you up and take you out of your reading comfort zone, this one is for you.  This book is one I will not forget for a long time. 

This book was provided by Fiction Guild and Thomas Nelson Publishers 

for review without compensation.

Julie Cantrell is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Into the Free, the 2013 Christy Award-winning Book of the Year and recipient of the Mississippi Library Association's Fiction Award.  Cantrell has served as editor-in-chief of the Southern Literary Review and is a recipient of the Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship.  Her second novel, When Mountains Move, won the 2014 Carol Award for Historical Fiction and, like her debut, was selected for several Top Reads lists.  Visit Julie online at juliecantrell.com, on Facebook: juliecantrellauthor, Twitter: @JulieCantrell, and on Pinterest: juliecantrell.