Emily Wierenga's A Promise in Pieces--A Review

So, a while back, I told one of my "agent-mates" and a fellow Quilts of Love author that I'd love to read a copy of her debut novel.  A couple of weeks ago the book came, and I sat down to read it.

By page three, I realized something.  

Emily Wierenga is the kind of writer that makes me want to sell my Macbook and never buy another pen again as long as I live because I'm pretty sure I'll never be that good.

Dagnabbit.

Seriously, I wanted to start copying A Promise in Pieces by hand just to capture the way the rhythm of the words ran, like this nearly effortless story told to me by the narrator.  Before the first chapter ended, Clara was alive for me and by the end of the last chapter, I was really hoping here were more pages tucked away somewhere so Clara could just go on and on.  

When I first got the book, I wasn't really sure what it was going to be.  Part of me was expecting a World War II story, but that wasn't it.  World War II was a small portion of Clara's life with a huge effect on who she became.  Another part of me expected a love story.  then again, I always expect a love story. And I got one.  But it wasn't just between Clara and her husband. It was between Clara and a dying soldier…  Clara and her children… Clara and her parents… Clara and her friends…  Clara and her God.  This is definitely a love story, but it's about all of the loves we have in our lives… and all of the loves we lose in our lives.  And the entire story revolves around a quilt, sewn out of new love, given away after lost love, and given life through restorative love.

Clara's story is real.  It resonates.  And I highly recommend it.  It may take you a few pages to get used to the rhythm of Emily Wierenga's writing, but once you do, the words almost breathe.  (And yes, as a writer, I think the voice got me as much as the story itself did.  You'll see what I mean when you read it.  And, again, you should read it.)

I received this book from the publisher.  The review is honest and my own.

Leave a comment on any post this week for a chance to win an autographed copy of my Love Inspried Suspense, Crossfire. In addition, Tina Pinson is giving away a copy of her eBook To Carry Her Cross.

Jodie Bailey is a Carolina girl who once considered giving up writing to feed rabid alligators because the whole alligator thing sounded a whole lot easier.  Then she remembered rabid alligators have teeth and her laptop doesn't.   You can visit her at www.jodiebailey.com.

The Last Detail Review

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Good morning, readers. I'm thrilled to give you a small glimpse at Lisa's latest book: The Last Detail. What's not to love in this book by prolific author Lisa Lickel?

Lisa brings to life the spark between her main characters. Merit's fear of taking a wife to a foreign missionary field, and Amalia's decided response to Hudson's proposal set the two up for interesting interaction. These two characters struggle with obstacles that resonate with any christian ministry individual. Good lessons for all!

The secondary characters add flavor and relatability to the story.

Merit Campbell is a medical missionary who runs a clinic for the tribal people of Nehrangestan on the continent of Asia. The story opens in the midst of a battle between two warring tribes. After Merit gets caught in the crossfire, he sustains wounds and must return to the US for recuperation. Merit not only has lost an older brother, but now he's facing a younger brother who's disappeared. He has decisions to make and can't seem to decide if he should return to the mission field to serve or accept a pastorate in the United States. He is human, and Lisa does a very good job showing how ministers and other labors face trials.

Amalia is a practical woman who works at her lifelong friend's funeral business. Her assistance comes in the form of her own business, The Last Detail (hence the title!) where she helps people plan beyond death. The whole town assumes she and Hudson will marry, but the more she gets to know Merit, the more complex the scenario becomes.

Can Merit overcome the fears and hindrances that hold him back from real peace with God's will for his life? And can Amalia see beyond other's expectations for herself and accept what God has planned for her?

 A well-rounded, fun, yet with serious lessons and a great book for any reader. I recommend it!

BIO: 

Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. A muti-published, best-selling and award-winning novelist, she also writes short stories and radio theater, is an avid book reviewer, blogger, a freelance editor, and magazine editor.

Connect with Lisa here:
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Her book is available here:

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Happy Reading!

Carole Brown

REVIEW: Flashback: A Thriller by Kevin Mark Smith

REVIEW: Flashback: A Thriller by Kevin Mark Smith

Back Cover:

He’s on the verge of making his dreams come true… Then a dream, a dead client, and a mysterious stranger shatter his world… 

Kenneth Cartwright, Attorney at Law, is a success by all the world’s standards. He’s even landed the client that will earn him the law partnership he desperately craves. Yet, a simpler, happier life haunts his dreams, making him regret his life choices. Just as he begins to see hope of that life becoming reality, those connected to his wealthy client begin dying. Can Kenneth solve the murders before success destroys everyone he loves? 

Kenneth’s nightly flashbacks are to a simpler life, one not nearly as successful as the one he’s living. Why does he wish the dreams were reality? More important, why do the dreams feel more real than reality itself? Will the trappings of success destroy him and everyone he loves before he discovers the truth behind his dreams? 

Stacy stumbles across a sad yet successful lawyer in a coffee shop. How can someone who looks so successful be so empty? As their friendship grows they discover there’s more to life than just success, and that the love of money truly is the root of all evil. Will they survive the evil closing in? Will Ken finally discover the joy he’s been missing in his life?


My Thoughts:

This is an amazing book. I've always loved John Grisham, but Kevin has nothing to be ashamed of. Fast-paced, action-filled, and suspenseful, this book will keep you reading to the last page, up at night if you dare read it in the evenings, and wanting more from this author. 

The protagonist wonders if the life he has is all it should be, but when he lands a job that involves danger and suspense and romance and promotion, he will find out, through disturbing dreams he must interpret, what is really the "world" for him. 


I heartily recommend this book and recommend you watch for more novels from this talented writer.

About the Author

Kevin Mark Smith is an evangelical criminal defense and family law attorney in Wichita, Kansas. He graduated cum laude from Regent University School of Law in 1999 where he served as Issue Planning Editor for the Regent Law Review and clerked with the American Center for Law and Justice. Kevin is a former Assistant District Attorney for Sedgwick County, Kansas, and an Allied attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom. He serves on the Kansas Board of Indigent Defense Services. You can read his writings on the Constitution and home school education in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com.

Link to buy the book:

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Happy Reading!