The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma

Anna has one chance for survival--and it lies in the hands of her mortal enemy.

   It's 1943 and Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost nearly everything. Most of her family has been deported, and the Nazi occupation ended her career as a concert violinist.Now Anna is left to care for her grandmother, and she'll do anything to keep her safe--a job that gets much harder when Nazi officer Horst Engel is quartered in the flat below them.

   Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Horst, dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

   Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals might stop the music forever...

MY THOUGHTS:

I love books set during World War II and if Liz Tolsma's name is on the cover, I love it even more. Ms. Tolsma's newest novel is The Melody of the Soul which is the first book in her "Music of Hope" series. Based on this book, the series will be fantastic..

The heroine is Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian and a violinist left behind to take care of her grandmother after her family was deported to Terezin. Playing the violin is forbidden but Anna continues to play even when a Nazi officer, Horst Engel moves into the flat below them. When Horst encourages her to play she is a little leary and not sure whether she should trust him. Anna's grandmother tells her she needs to trust him for his heart not his uniform. I loved these characters.

This novel, because of the subject matter, is heartbreaking to read but then that time in history was heartbreaking. Ms. Tolsma has proven that she has a gift for writing novels set during this time period and I look forward to future books in this series. It is an emotional novel that pulled at my heart throughout. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves novels set during Worl War II.or just a good historical romance novel. 

On a 5-Star Scale = 5 HUGE Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Litfuse Publicity Group copy of this book. I received a complimentary copy with no expectations for a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Smiles & Blessings,

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious demise fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face th3e terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide.

A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy's search leads her into dangerous waters, resurrecting painful memories and forcing a reunion with the man who broke her heart. Can Ivy unravel the mystery and find a renewed hope before any other lives--including her own--are lost?

MY THOUGHTS

I love reading debut novels and also novels that combine two time periods. So when given the opportunity to read Jaime Jo Wright's debut The House on Foster Hill I was extremely happy. Her novel is set during 1906 and Present Day. This is a Gothic style romantic mystery and in my opinion was a home run for Ms. Wright. 

The author has created such a delectable story with wonderfully descriptive prose such as this gem found on page 22, "Cavernous windows opened in a silent scream on the face of the Gothic house tilted on the crest of Foster Hill. Its gables towered as if to mock her, and balconies curved in permanent, evil grins." Can't you just see and feel what Kaine felt as she viewed the house for the first time?

I loved the way the two time periods were woven together and how the author left small cliffhangers at the end of each chapter that completed a time period. It made this reader want to turn the pages faster and faster to get to the conclusion of both stories. 

The suspense was constant throughout the entire novel and the characters, Ivy and Kaine, both were in search of truth and hope.

I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a good Gothic romance or a good clean romantic suspense.

On a 5-Star Scale = 4 1/2 Stars.

I would like to thank Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing, for my copy of The House on Foster Hill. I received a complimentary copy to read with no expectation for a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Smiles & Blessings,

Oath of Honor by Lynette Eason

A MURDERED PARTNER. A MISSING BROTHER. WILL ISABELLE'S SILENCE PROTECT THOSE SHE LOVES...OR DELAY JUSTICE?

Police office Isabelle St. John loves her crazy, loud, law-enforcement family. She knows they'll be there for her when things get tough. Like when her partner is murdered and she barely escapes with her own life.

     Izzy is determined to discover exactly what happened, and her investigation sends her headfirst into a criminal organization, possibly with cops on the payroll--including someone from her own family. With her dead partner's brother Ryan, a handsome homicide detective, shadowing her every move, Izzy's head is spinning. How can she secure justice for her partner when doing so could mean sending someone she loves to prison? And how will she guard her heart when the man she's had a secret crush on for years won't leave her side.

MY THOUGHTS:

Oath of Honor is the first book in Lynette Eason's "Blue Justice" series and I can tell you it is an awesome beginning to the new series. The second book in the series, Called to Protect, will be released this summer and I can hardly wait.

The characters that are introduced in this book are well rounded and definitely makes the reader care for them. The heroine, Isabelle (Izzy) St. John comes from a family of law enforcement and Ryan Marshall, the hero, is a homicide detective who has just lost his second brother within an eighteen month period. Izzy had been attracted to Ryan since high school and the feelings were pretty much the same for Ryan as well. Ryan never acted on his feelings because Izzy's twin brother basically told him to leave her alone. Izzy and Ryan now find themselves working together to solve her partner's death. Her partner just happens to be Ryan's baby brother.

One thing that I find in every Lynette Eason book that I read, is a 'sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat' plot. A plot that grabs the reader from the first page and doesn't let them go until the very last page. I guarantee you that Oath of Honor will not disappoint the devoted suspense reader.

I would highly recommend reading Oath of Honor if you like a good clean suspense-filled book.

On a 5-Star Scale = 5 Stars!!!!!

I would like to thank Revell, a division of Baker Publishing, for my copy of Oath of Honor. I received a complimentary copy to read with no expectation for a positive review. All opinions  expressed are my own.

Smiles & Blessings,