Summer Reading List

Happy Tuesday! It's time for another edition of Top Ten Tuesday. Today's topic is our summer reading list. I'm incredibly behind in my reading, which seems to happen around this time of the year. I'm hoping to start getting back on track with the long summer nights.



Dillon Hayes is twenty-eight and single, an unfortunate status her overbearing family is determined to fix. So when she’s stuck on a cruise ship for a seven-day reunion with the lot of them, she's desperate for any escape she can find, even if it means partnering with a sketchy stranger for an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling excursion.

Can a couple of baristas chase down a car thief without spilling a drop of their favorite drink? Plans for a Valentine's Day grand opening of a small town coffee shop go awry when the first customer is killed. Evidence points toward the victim being mixed up in a car theft ring, but shop owners Tandy and Marissa have reason to believe he was framed.

Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the west to become something more--and the woman who must confront his deception.

Once lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold ancient secrets and dangers. Former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe has been tasked with capturing the ancient text, but a Bulgarian operative snatches it, determined to secure her freedom. When a series of strange storms erupt, they must form an alliance to thwart impending disaster.

 When one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, CGIS special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous and volatile crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer's adrift cutter, and the direction the clues point will test him and the guard to their limits.

Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a war zone and shatters the life of each citizen--Polish, Jewish, or otherwise. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in the city's library, awaits news of her husband, Janek, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger.

Josephine Is Forced to Spy for Grave Robbers
Step into True Colors -- a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime.
In Massachusetts in 1824, Josephine Clayton awakes on the table of the doctor she's assisted all these months. She was presumed dead by all and has become the doctor's next corpse for his medical research. Frightened, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. A deal is struck--Josie will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she'll await her true mission--posing as a mourner to help his body snatcher procure her replacement.

Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans–but was that the truth?

Widowed in Memphis during 1932, Cecile Dowd is struggling to provide for her three-year-old daughter. Unwittingly trusting a neighbor puts little Millie Mae into the clutches of Georgia Tann, corrupt Memphis Tennessee Children’s Home Society director suspected of the disappearance of hundreds of children. With the help of a sympathetic lawyer, the search for Millie uncovers a deep level of corruption that threatens their very lives.















What's on your Summer Reading list? Let me know in the comments!

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett - Reviewed

About the book:

Title: The Road to Paradise
Author: Karen Barnett
Publisher: Waterbrook Press

In 1927, Margie Lane, an avid naturalist, convinces her Senator father to procure her a position at the fledgling Mount Rainier National Park. Since Ranger Ford Brannon lost his father in a climbing accident, he doubts his ability to protect the park and its many visitors. He certainly doesn't relish the job of watching over an idealistic and privileged young woman with no practical survival skills.
When Margie's former fiance sets his mind on developing the Paradise Inn and its surroundings into a tourist playground, Margie and Ford will have to work together to preserve the beauty and simplicity of this mountain hideaway, but the developer's plans might put more than just the park in danger."

Amazon || Barnes and Noble || ChristianBooks ||

About Karen Barnett:

Fueled by a passion for research and learning, and a secret desire to travel in time, author Karen Barnett creates historical romances that draw readers deep into a story. She’s fascinated that even though human history is constantly changing, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). The point where those two facts collide forms the basis for her writing–finding those moments when an ordinary person brushes up against the eternal.

A graduate of Valparaiso University and Oregon State University, Barnett’s debut novel, Mistaken, was released in 2013 and earned her the Oregon Christian Writers “Writer of Promise” award and a Cascade Award for best historical fiction. She also won the coveted “Writer of the Year” title from the prestigious Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in 2016.

Karen spent several years working in outdoor education as a park ranger and naturalist for Mount Rainier National Park and Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park before becoming a stay-at-home mom and professional writer. She spends her free time hiking, taking photographs, dragging her kids through dusty history museums, and decorating crazy birthday cakes.
Karen lives in western Oregon with her husband, two teenagers, and three mischievous dachshunds.
To connect with Karen follow her on Facebook (KarenBarnettAuthor) and Twitter (KarenMBarnett).
She also enjoys public speaking and has addressed women’s groups, church organizations, book clubs, libraries, and writing conferences. Check out her speaking page if you are interested in learning more.


My Thoughts:

First, I'm a beach girl. I grew up and lived as an adult in mainly coastal states. Even when I lived in Colorado for a few short years I didn't spend nearly as much time in the mountains as I did at the beach. With that said, Ms. Barnett's book The Road to Paradise transported me to the serene beauty of Mount Rainier, a place to my knowledge I've never been before, and I now want to go. Her word pictures completely immersed me into the beauty and sounds of God's creation.

Margie was a hoot! She's grown up in polite society, determined to break away from the stereotype of a delicate woman she used her father's connections she gets a job working with the forest rangers. She does not shy away from anything even a rat who decides to take up residence in her cabin.

Ford was a hero who clearly did not want a woman invading his mountain, yet he learned that Margie wasn't a push over and that she would pull her own weight. While they might have disagreed here and there, they unite quickly on keeping a ski lodge out of the mountain.

My Bottom Line:

This was a beautifully written book filled with sights and sounds of Mount Rainier. Karen Barnett wove scripture in an out of the story creating a visual experience of God's creation. There is a sweet budding romance that both Margie and Ford attempt to avoid. Carmichael's determination for said ski lodge keeps the plot hopping and the reader riveted. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and am anxious to read the second.

June Blog Wrap Up

June was a busy month. I read six new books this month, but I re-read four from last year for the INSPY Awards. Ten books in a month is way more than normal for me but I needed to refresh my memory before the judges convened.

I had a lot of fun posts this month. The most popular seem to be Pack Your Bags for the Long Nights of Summer Reading. 

Another popular one was Books I'd give a theme song to.

I think the most memorable thing for me last month was being a judge for the INSPY Awards. It was honestly a dream come true and I feel privileged to have been part of the process.

 On the 22nd we drove to Washington to pick up two of our grand-kids for part of the summer which was fun, and full of reminders of having little ones, especially why God gives them to young people. LOL
We were so glad we were able to go on that Friday because on Saturday it happened to be their cousin's birthday and they were here for the party.

Here's a picture of the lil rugrats.


Looking at my July calendar it's pretty mild as far as reviews go. I only have two scheduled, which means that I will have more time to dive into my ever growing TBR pile, crossing fingers I will be able to make a great dent before August hits.

You can look forward to reviews of

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof

Dangerous to Know by Megan Whitson Lee

The Orphans Wish by Melanie Dickerson

Through Waters Deep by Rachelle Dekker


Outside of the cover of The Road to Paradise all of the other covers will take you to my review.

I hope you had a wonderful June and are looking forward to a great July. Let me know what you're reading in the comments.

Top Ten Tuesday - Books I'd Give a Theme Song To

Today's topic is books I might have decided to not finish too early. Since I rarely do not finish a book I am rebelling and choosing a topic from The Broke and Bookish who originally started Top Ten Tuesday.

As you see the songs I've chosen you will definitely see where my taste in music lies. Not all of these songs have a lot to do with the book itself, it's just the first song I thought of. They also don't reflect the author or their work.

My book theme song, High Cotton by Alabama.

My book theme song, Bridge Over Troubled Waters by Bon Jovi

Of course none other than Renegade by Styx.

I am The Warrior by Scandal is the first song that popped in mind.

Just Another Day in Paradise by Phil Vassar

Straight from the Heart by Bryan Adams

None other than Saturday Night by the Bay City Rollers

Can't Help Falling in Love With You by none other than Elvis Presley.

This song made me giggle a bit. I love White Christmas and this song is perfect!

I haven't read this book yet, but on the back cover it mentions a "Watermelon Queen" which meant the only song appropriate is Watermelon Crawl by Tracy Byrd.














What books would you give theme songs to? And what would the theme song be? Let me know in the comments.

INSPY Awards - Judges and the Shortlist

I remember when the INSPY Awards were just a discussion between bloggers. I believe we talked about it during Saturday Christian Fiction Carnival / Faith and Fiction Saturday back in 2007, I'm not 100% positive though.
As bloggers, we thought there should be an award given to authors, from the bloggers who read and review their books, and in 2010 the INSPY Awards were born.
I've applied before, but this is the first year I was selected as a judge and I am so honored to have been chosen.

I will be apart of a three judge panel who will read five historical romance books, and somehow we will choose ONE book to be the winner. I have no idea how we'll do that. I'm already looking at these titles thinking, uh, yeah right, I can pick just one out of this line up. I know it will be challenging, but I know we'll choose the right book to represent Historical Romance.

Today the short list for each category was announced, and it is so exciting to see the books in each category. You can read about each of the books in all the categories here. You can read about each judge here.

The five books that we will be reading in the Historical Romance genre are:

A Lady in Disguise by Sandra Byrd

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

A Note Unsung by Tamera Alexander

The Road to Paradise by Karen Barnett

I have read all but one of these books, but since my "old" brain tends to forget certain things, I will be re-reading all of them.

To all the judges and authors!!