The Night Is Forever (Krewe of Hunters #11) by Heather Graham

Publisher:  Harlequin MIRA
Release Date:  September 24, 2013
Pages:  368

Wanda's Review:  The story begins when Olivia Gordon discovers Marcus Danby, dead in a ravine. His death was made to look like an accident, but Olivia is certain Marcus was murdered. Marcus comes back as a ghost and talks to Olivia and asks her to help him. He tells her he was murdered. 

Marcus Danby founded the horse Farm, a therapy center, that was located near Nashville. The Horse Farm had been Marcus's passion and his life. His door was opened to any abandoned creature. Marcus brought in clients - patients to work with horses - or dogs sometimes. The Horse Farm was extremely well respected. And now, Olivia and the rest of the employees, at the Horse Farm, had to move forward with the work Marcus had deemed so important. 

Olivia worked at the Horse Farm as a therapist. She did impressive work with the horses, but what she managed with people was equally beautiful. She was loved and respected by everyone. Olivia had the ability to see ghosts and talk to them. She was told she was like a ghost magnet and some called it a gift, but some called it a curse. She shared this ability with her cousin, Malachi, who was in charge of the Krewe, an FBI Unit of Paranormals. 

Special Agent Dustin Blake, my favorite character, was quite charming. Dustin comes to Nashville, at the request of Malachi, to investigate the death of Marcus. He also shares the gift of seeing ghosts. There is a strong chemistry between Olivia and Dustin and a romance slowly develops and an investigation that leads in many directions. And the plot thickens!

This book includes mystery, paranormal, and romance. The author had such a creative way of weaving together this multi layered story. I found myself engaged in the storyline early on. I did not anticipate the ending and I must say, I was a bit disappointed, not finding it to be plausible. Also, there were many secondary characters and I found myself confused at times.

The author really elaborates on the paranormal encounters, going into much depth - very interesting! I also liked the bit of Civil War history interjected through the ghost encounters. Yes, I would recommend this book, especially to those of you who are into paranormal - you'll love it. My rating is 4 stars.
                                                                                

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for providing me with a complementary copy of this book to review. All opinions shared are my own. 

The Train Baby's Mother by Sharon Bernash Smith

Publisher: OakTara
Release Date  :  November 2012
Pages:  232

Wanda's Review:  On December 24, 1943 two children were playing in the snow on a family farm, 30 miles north of Berlin and south of Ravensbruck, a Nazi prison camp for women. They heard a strange noise and trudge through the snow to investigate. They discovered a brown bundle lying next to the train tracks - a baby. The baby was immediately hidden with utmost discretion and it's final destination was a village in the Bavarian mountains with a family who loved it unconditionally.

In the winter of 1943 thousands of German citizens were transported to concentration camps on cattle cars of trains and it was happening under the cruel, demonic mind of Hitler. The extermination of every Jewish man, woman and child was carried out to the extreme that was never seen by the history of man. Lives of Jewish families would never be the same because of the diabolical mind and heinous acts of this man.

Ravensbruck was surrounded by barbed wire and was located 50 miles north of Berlin. Buildings were filled beyond capacity with women of all ages who were being starved with protruding bones and shaved heads. If the women weren't starved to death, they were gassed or shot and thrown into pits slushed with gasoline and set on fire.

This is the story of Hadassah Jensen, a Jewish woman, who fought to survive Ravensbruck and the Holocaust - a story of a woman whose innocence was shattered by these unspeakable acts of horror.

This is one of the most achingly sad books I've ever read on the Holocaust - just heart wrenching. The ending is filled with extraordinary poignancy and will have a strong impact on you. I highly recommend - a remarkable read!  My rating is 5 stars.

When Mountains Move (Into the Free #2) by Julie Cantrell

Publisher:  David C Cook
Date of Release:  September 1, 2013
Pages:  416




Wanda's Review:  Wow! This is definitely a 2013 favorite!

1942 - Iti Taloa, Mississippi - Millie is awaiting her marriage to Kenneth (Bump) Anderson, but she isn't sure she is deserving of his love. The Anderson's are such a kind, genuine family and Millie is struggling with her past, dealing with a storm of emotions. Millie has been living in a barn for the last six weeks, doing everything in her power to stay away from Bill Miller. She had been taken in by the Miller family, but the unthinkable happened and Millie left the posh Miller home without even saying goodbye. She knows she should tell Bump her secret, that happened against her will, but she is afraid things would get out of hand.

Bump and Millie are married at a simple gathering of those they loved, and now it is her duty to love and obey. Millie enters this new marriage struggling to develop a fully open and trusting relationship with Bump. Her intentions are to protect Bump from the truth that would surely hurt him more.

Bump has just finished vet school and is asked to launch a ranch in the Rockies, arranged by Mr. Tucker. He and Mollie start their cross country move from Mississippi to Colorado. Bump and Millie have three years to turn a profit and develop a top breeding facility - stock horses and beef cattle. Millie and Bump are faced with many challenges that have the potential of tearing them apart. And the story unfolds ---

The beautiful Katharine Fitch Garner (Kat) is an interesting character who adds drama to the storyline. Kat and Millie become friends. Millie admires Kat and wants to be like her in so many ways, but soon Millie realizes Kat's friendship is superficial. Millie is betrayed by Kat and hurt by her deceitful actions.

River Greene enters the story as a rougher cut of the man Millie remembers. River is still able to tempt Millie. Does Millie have the power to pull away? Is she willing to settle for less than what she really wants?

Oka, Millie's grandmother, was one of my favorites. Oka is filled with strength and wisdom and has a very genuine spirit. She teaches Millie much about forgiveness and grace.

This is storytelling at its best - a delightful read that will touch your heart. The ending has a strong crescendo of suspense and a satisfying conclusion. This is truly a compelling and emotional novel by a gifted writer. My rating is 5 stars. 

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions shared are my own.  

Band of Sisters by Cathy Gohlke

Publisher:  Tyndale House Publisher
Date Released:  August 17, 2012
Pages:  432

Wanda's Review - 


Life was not tolerable in County Meath for Maureen O'Reilly and her thirteen year old sister, Katie Rose. The story starts out in 1910 as Maureen and Katie Rose flee Ireland searching for a new beginning in America. A new life has been promised to their father nearly twenty eight years ago stemming from a Civil War debt. A promise was made by Colonel Wakefield to embrace Morgan O'Reilly and his family as his own and for the O'Reilly family to be a part of the Wakefields of Morningside.

Maureen and Katie Rose struggle to survive as they arrive in Ellis Island. The character of Maureen is beautifully portrayed with her sweet lilt of an Irish brogue, but she was also a very stubborn, strong willed woman. Katie Rose is not so likable, being spoiled and rebellious. 

Maureen is directed to Darcy's department store by Jaime Flynn where she finds employment through false references and deception. Jaime Flynn, a very dark character, positions himself at Ellis Island to direct homeless girls and women to Darcy's where he and others kidnap women from the store to be used for the ring of trafficking. And the story moves along with many twists and turns. 

Band of Sisters is a story about the world of human trafficking - women who are forced into prostitution. Girls, women - either kidnapped or lured in with promises of good jobs, bribes, marriage, or whatever it takes. They are then sold to the highest bidder to be used in brothels, sold as sexual escorts in New York, or shipped to buyers elsewhere. 

This heart-wrenching story will strike a deep chord within those who read it. Deep and thought provoking - this book will touch your heart - a horrible realization of what occurred at that time and still occurs today.

This is my first time reading a book by this author and I'll be looking for more in the future. This is one of the best books I've ever read. Superlative! - a book you'll not want to miss.  My rating is 5 stars.  

The Tulip Eaters by Antoinette van Heugten

Publisher:  Harlequin MIRA
To Be Released:  October 29, 2013
Pages:  368

Taken from the Preface - We have no milk, no bread, no potatoes - just rotten peels. The boys now have to go far into the fields to pull frozen tulip bulbs from the ground. We grind the pulp and make thin soup and watery porridges from them. They are bitter, practically inedible, but we choke them down because otherwise we will starve. - Anonymous Dutch housewife, circa 1944.

It was one of the great ironies of the Dutch occupation - to forage and choke down their national flower to stave off starvation.

Houston, Texas - 1980 - Nora de Jong, a pediatric surgeon, was filled with contentment. She and her mother, Anneke, shared the love and care of her six month old daughter, Rose. Life seemed to be perfect until the day she returned from work to find her mother murdered and her baby missing. The dead body of an unknown man was on the floor, clutching a German Luger in his hand. And it seemed the killer had an accomplice who took Rose. Why was Rose taken and there was no ransom asked?

Nora finds a metal box filled with secret documents that bring up many questions about her life and the lives of her parents. After a futile investigation by the local police, Nora decides to take matters into her own hands. It was better than staying in Houston, terrified and frantic. She goes to Amsterdam to try and put the missing pieces together about the family's seemingly dark and unsettled history - a history that would take her back to the days of WWII and a city under Nazi occupation.

Nora's parents, Anneke and Hans de Jong were married in Holland shortly after the war, and immigrated to the States from the Netherlands. Sixty year old Anneke, was a housewife, and a warm, loving person. She spent all of her time taking care of baby Rose. Hans, Nora's father, had died a few years earlier, and had been a literature professor at a local university. Her parents never talked about their life in Holland. Was Anneke really a Dutch Nazi? Had she killed a Jewish man, Abram Rosen, and then fled the country and changed her name?

A strong, but rather sinister character is Amarisa, a very wealthy Jewish woman. She had been in diamond trade for almost forty years and had forged relationships with people in high places. Amsterdam was the largest diamond center in the world. During the Dutch occupation, Amarisa's family was arrested and thrown on a train, and shipped to Mauthausen. The entire family was gassed, but Amarisa and her brother made it out. But Amarisa had been raped and her face was slit from her lip to ear. Amarisa really adds to the storyline, filling it with a crescendo of suspense.

Who was Abram Rosen and was his family still alive? Was Nora's mother really an NSB-er - a reviled organization of the Dutch Nazis? What was the motive behind Anneke's murder and the kidnapping of Rose? A lot of questions with an intriguing storyline.

This is definitely a favorite for 2013! The book is a rich blend of history, suspense and romance and will absolutely devour you from the beginning to the satisfying conclusion. The author manages to weave together a tale of family secrets with meticulous detail and includes an entourage of fascinating characters. Most definitely a 5 star novel by an incredible author. 

I received a complimentary e-book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

Gracianna by Trini Amador

This story is fiction, but based on true events of the author's great-grandmother, Gracianna Lasaga.

Gracianna Arrayet was born in the Pyrennes, mountains that border France and Spain. Her mother was Ann, who died in childbirth when Gracianna was eight years old - her grandmother, Grand-mere - Anastasia. Her birth certificate read "Father Unknown". Gracianna has a little sister, Constance, and they share a bond of love born from the loss of their mother. She loved her native Basque, the language unrelated to any other European languages. Gracianna was ambitious and curious, being able to quote verses from poems and entire passages of history. Gracianna dreamed of moving to America. She longed to see California and the beautiful Santa Barbara. She developed a plan to go to Paris where she would work for a year to earn enough money for her travel to America. Her family tried to dissuade her from leaving because of the war in France, but Gracianna, even with fear welling up, was determined, and in the early 1940's, finally leaves for Paris with no plans to return. With Nazi headquarters in the backyard, she finds a job working in a bar cafe and sharpens her instincts for survival in occupied Paris. In time she is recruited into the French Resistance.

Juan Laxague was a rather shy local sheepherder and has known Gracianna and her family for years. He was taught the values of hardwork and belief in God early on. He thought a lot about the future with Gracianna and one night he decides to strike out on his own. And the story unfolds as Juan follows Gracianna to Paris where he begins his search for her, whom he believes will become his partner in life. Constance also follows Gracianna and arrives in Paris with great fanfare. Caught up in a whirlwind, the impetuous and immature Constance quickly marries a wealthy man for the easy life.

Parisians were disappearing, Jews were being rounded up, suspected sympathizers rooted out by the Gestapo. A series of events unfold and Constance is beaten and humiliated and sent to Birkenau, one of the satellite concentration camps of Auschwitz.

This is an emotional story about the Holocaust, World War II, Hitler, the Auschwitz - Birkenau death camp, and the French Freedom Resistance. Gracianna's sister miraculously did live through Birkenau, where it is estimated that between 700,000 and 1 million people were gassed, hanged, or shot. Rumors were that at night you could see lights blaze and flicker and hear horrific screams. The Nazis were performing evil, supposedly scientific tests on prisoners - men, women, and children - where death was probably preferable.

The topic of the Holocaust brings with it deep sadness and the horrible realization of what occurred at that time. This is a compelling tale of love, family, suspense and survival. A gripping novel that I highly recommend.  

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility.

The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes

France - 1916 - World War 1 - The Germans are occupying a proud little village of St. Peronne. It had been one of the first towns to fall to the Germans. The Bessette family had been running a hotel, La Coq Rouge, a very fine establishment for generations. After the village becomes occupied, Sophie and her sister, Helene, continue to keep the hotel going while both of their husbands are fighting in the war. There were barely any men left in the town and the women had to take on men's work. The village had no milk to feed the babies, they were weeping from hunger and becoming ill from lack of good nutrition. The Germans were the only ones who ate well. They raided wine cellars and also took food that had been produced by the local farmers.

Herr Kommandant enters the story and decides that his men will be fed at the hotel. Sophie and her family would provide meals for the German officers. Herr Kommandant becomes almost mesmerized by a portrait, in its gilded frame, hanging in the hotel - a portrait of Sophie, painted by her artist husband, Edouard. Herr Kommandant shows kindness towards Sophie and her family, but becomes consumed by Sophie.

The plot becomes complex with a myriad of obstacles to overcome. Edouard is sent to a reprisal camp at Ardennes, which was said to be one of the worst. Sophie is taken prisoner by the occupying German forces.

The author effortlessly weaves together two stories, a century apart. The story flips over to 2006 - London - where Liv Halston is struggling to get over her husband's death, that happened four years earlier. In her living room hangs the portrait of The Girl You Left behind, given to her by her late husband, David, on their honeymoon. The story evolves around the portrait and just when you think the story is resolved , it takes on a twist, and then, yet another. Finally the resolution comes, and not what is expected. I absolutely loved the ending.

This is a beautifully written story that will capture you from the beginning. The author spins a tale of twisting emotions while blending the past and the present in vivid detail. You don't want to miss this one. 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review of this book. The opinions shared in this review are my own.