⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️CRIMSON STAIN By Jim Fisher

Publisher:  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Release Date:  June 2013
Pages:  410
Genre:  Non-Fiction/True Crime
Format:  Paperback

Book Description: 
CRIMSON STAIN is the shocking true story of murder in an Old-Order Amish community. The ritualistic murder of Katie Gingerich in rural Pennsylvania set into motion a clash of Amish and modern values about mental illness, domestic violence, and criminal justice. CRIMSON STAIN is a window into the private and mysterious world of the Old-Order Amish. This revised and expanded edition of CRIMSON STAIN tells the shocking and tragic story of the Gingerich family up to the present day. REVIEWS OF THE FIRST EDITION: "A truly unique contribution to the true-crime genre." Phoenix Book Review "A fascinating, heart-wrenching, and sobering account of the consequences of an untreated mental illness and its effects on a community that co-exists with modern society but is separate from it." Sunday Patriot News (Harrisburg, PA) "Fisher writes in a clear, highly readable style." Erie Times-News

Wanda's Thoughts:  This was a disturbing story that takes place in an Amish Brownhill community in Pennsylvania. It’s a very violent and depressing story that begins in 1985 when Ed Gingerich and Katie Shetler, an Amish couple, begin their married life.

Ed was a very heartless man, with a cruel streak in him. He hated farm work, was self-possessed, and rather independent. It wasn’t long until Katie was showing the effects of a marriage that had only given her misery. In 1993 the unthinkable happens when a very mentally disturbed Ed Gingerich, destroys his wife, Katie, in front of their children. This was a horrendous and very gruesome crime!

This is also a story of how the lives of that Amish community are changed forever, and how they suffered because of this horrific crime.

This very disturbing book profoundly moved me! This is a book that will make your heart ache, and it’s one you’ll not soon forget. It is not an easy book to read because of the graphic content. The author certainly did his homework with all of the details included. 5 stars.

About the Author:  Jim Fisher is a former FBI agent and professor emeritus of criminal justice at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where he taught courses in criminal law, criminal investigation, and forensic science. He is the author of nine published works of nonfiction, including books on the Lindbergh kidnapping case, false confessions, scam artists, and forensic science. Two of his books were nominated for Edgar Allan Poe Awards by the Mystery Writers of America. He is the author of the popular Jim Fisher True Crime Blog (jimfishertruecrime.blogspot.com).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️THE MISTLETOE PROMISE By Richard Paul Evans

Publisher:  Center Point
Release Date:  December 1, 2015
Genre:  Fiction/Romance
Format:  Hardcover

Book Description: 
A love story for Christmas from the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box and The Walk.

Elise Dutton dreads the arrival of another holiday season. Three years earlier, her husband cheated on her with her best friend, resulting in a bitter divorce that left her alone, broken, and distrustful.

Then, one November day, a stranger approaches Elise in the mall food court. Though she recognizes the man from her building, Elise has never formally met him. Tired of spending the holidays alone, the man offers her a proposition. For the next eight weeks—until the evening of December 24—he suggests that they pretend to be a couple. He draws up a contract with four rules:

1. No deep, probing personal questions
2. No drama
3. No telling anyone the truth about the relationship
4. The contract is void on Christmas Day

The lonely Elise surprises herself by agreeing to the idea. As the charade progresses, the safety of her fake relationship begins to mend her badly broken heart. But just as she begins to find joy again, her long-held secret threatens to unravel the emerging relationship. But she might not be the only one with secrets.

Wanda's Thoughts: 

Quite magical! The Mistletoe Promise radiantly shines with the spirit of Christmas, a story of love and second chances. This is truly a heartwarming tale that will evoke many emotions. The premise was an interesting one, and it is written with simplicity and grace. My first time reading this author, but ready to read more! I highly recommend! 5 stars.

The Author: 

Richard Paul Evans

Born

in Salt Lake City, Utah, The United States

October 11, 1962

Website

http://richardpaulevans.com/

Genre

Literature & Fiction

When Richard Paul Evans wrote the #1 best-seller, The Christmas Box, he never intended on becoming an internationally known author. His quiet story of parental love and the true meaning of Christmas made history when it became simultaneously the #1 hardcover and paperback book in the nation. Since then, more than eight million copies of The Christmas Box have been printed. He has since written eleven consecutive New York Times bestsellers. He is one the few authors in history to have hit both the fiction and non-fiction bestseller lists. He has won several awards for his books including the 1998 American Mothers Book Award, two first place Storytelling World Awards, and the 2005 Romantic Times Best Women Novel of the Year Award. His books have been translated into more than 22 languages and several have been international best sellers.

⭐️⭐️⭐️DRAWING FIRE (Cold Case Justice #1) By Janice Cantore

Publisher:  Tyndale House Publishers
Release Date:  May 2015
Pages: 416
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Format:  Hardcover

About the Book: 
One case from her past defines homicide detective Abby Hart.With a possible serial killer stalking elderly women in Long Beach, California, Abby's best lead is Luke Murphy, an irritating private investigator who saw a suspect flee the scene of the latest homicide. When Abby discovers that the most recent victim is related to the governor, she's anxious to talk to him about a cold case that's personal to her--one Luke is interested in as well.As she learns more about the restaurant fire that took her parents' lives years ago, Abby discovers why Luke is so invested in finding the ones responsible. The more they uncover, though, the more questions they have. Can Abby find peace without having all the answers?

Wanda's Thoughts: 
Abby Hart is a homicide detective in California and good at her job. When Abby was six years old she lost her parents in a mysterious restaurant fire, a homicide that was never solved. Abby is still haunted by this tragedy and is determined to find out who was responsible for murdering her parents.

The spiritual aspect of this book was very well written. It was so nice to read a book not filled with graphic violence and profanity.

The author’s experience as a police officer most definitely helped to shape this story line and make the characters realistic. The writing was solid and compelling action was provided to make this book a good read, and one that many will enjoy. However, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The book is readable, but not exceptional – just lukewarm. My rating is 3 stars.

About Janice Cantore:  A former Long Beach, California, police officer of twenty-two years, Janice Cantore worked a variety of assignments, including patrol, administration, juvenile investigations, and training. She’s always enjoyed writing and published two short articles on faith at work for Cop and Christ and Today’s Christian Woman before tackling novels. A few years ago, she retired to a house in the mountains of Southern California, where she lives with three Labrador retrievers, Jake, Maggie, and Abbie. Janice writes suspense novels designed to keep readers engrossed and leave them inspired. Accused is the first book in the Pacific Coast Justice series, featuring Carly Edwards. Janice also authored the Brinna’s Heart series, which includes The Kevlar Heart and A Heart of Justice. Visit Janice’s website at www.janicecantore.com and connect with her on Facebook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Playing with Fire By Tess Gerritsen

Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Pages:  250
Release Date:  27 October 2015
Genre:  Mystery/Historical Fiction
Format:  Hardcover

Book Description: 
A beautiful violinist is haunted by a very old piece of music she finds in a strange antique shop in Rome.

The first time Julia Ansdell picks up The Incendio Waltz, she knows it’s a strikingly unusual composition. But while playing the piece, Julia blacks out and awakens to find her young daughter implicated in acts of surprising violence. And when she travels to Venice to find the previous owner of the music, she uncovers a dark secret that involves dangerously powerful people—a family who would stop at nothing to keep Julia from bringing the truth to light.

Wanda's Thoughts: 
The story and two timelines evolve around a musical composition, a waltz that seems to leave a curse on everyone who hears it. The music was haunting, complex, and powerful, and it comes with a tragic history.

Julia Ansdell, a violinist and professional musician from America, is happily married with a three year-old daughter. She finds a piece of music that is handwritten in an antique shop in Rome. Julia’s life is suddenly changed because of this Incendio waltz.

Lorenzo Tedesco, an Italian Jew, showed great promise as a musician. His father had a luthier shop where the finest violins in Venice were made. Lorenzo becomes involved in a sad and tragic love story with Laura.

Much of the story-line takes place in Italy during WWII, and this was my favorite part of the story. There were rumors that unthinkable things were happening in Poland - reports of mass deportation and labor camps. Women and children were also being arrested and transported by train. Some of the rumors were too horrible to believe.

An orchestra was formed to drown out the noise of the dying. The purpose of the music was not to entertain, but to disguise and distract. It could never be too loud to hide the horrors of the Jewish people. The atrocities of WWII and the horrors of the Holocaust was a dark period in history.

And the story unfolds as the conflict and tension build. The past mingles with the present and the author very cleverly weaves this story together.

The author delved into WWII history and brought out the unbelievable ugliness of the Holocaust. Captivating throughout, this was a heartfelt tale that was elegantly told. The author certainly knows how to weave true historical facts into fiction. An amazing read! 5 Stars.

About Tess Gerritsen: 
Internationally bestselling author Tess Gerritsen took an unusual route to a writing career. A graduate of Stanford University, Tess went on to medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, where she was awarded her M.D.

While on maternity leave from her work as a physician, she began to write fiction. In 1987, her first novel was published. Call After Midnight, a romantic thriller, was followed by eight more romantic suspense novels. She also wrote a screenplay, "Adrift", which aired as a 1993 CBS Movie of the Week starring Kate Jackson.

Tess's first medical thriller, Harvest, was released in hardcover in 1996, and it marked her debut on the New York Times bestseller list. Her suspense novels since then have been: Life Support (1997), Bloodstream (1998), Gravity (1999), The Surgeon (2001), The Apprentice (2002), The Sinner (2003), Body Double (2004), Vanish (2005), The Mephisto Club (2006), and The Bone Garden (2007). Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and more than 15 million copies have been sold around the world.

As well as being a New York Times bestselling author, she has also been a #1 bestseller in both Germany and the UK. She has won both the Nero Wolfe Award (for Vanish) and the Rita Award (for The Surgeon.) Critics around the world have praised her novels as "Pulse-pounding fun" (Philadelphia Inquirer), "Scary and brilliant" (Toronto Globe and Mail), and "Polished, riveting prose" (Chicago Tribune). Publisher Weekly has dubbed her the "medical suspense queen".

Now retired from medicine, she writes full time. She lives in Maine.

THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES By Alice Hoffman

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Release Date:  August 4, 2015
Pages:  384
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Format:  Hardcover

Book Description: 
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things: a forbidden love story set on the tropical island of St. Thomas about the extraordinary woman who gave birth to painter Camille Pissarro; the Father of Impressionism.

Growing up on idyllic St. Thomas in the early 1800s, Rachel dreams of life in faraway Paris. Rachel's mother, a pillar of their small refugee community of Jews who escaped the Inquisition, has never forgiven her daughter for being a difficult girl who refuses to live by the rules. Growing up, Rachel's salvation is their maid Adelle's belief in her strengths, and her deep, life-long friendship with Jestine, Adelle's daughter. But Rachel's life is not her own. She is married off to a widower with three children to save her father's business. When her husband dies suddenly and his handsome, much younger nephew, Fréderick, arrives from France to settle the estate, Rachel seizes her own life story, beginning a defiant, passionate love affair that sparks a scandal that affects all of her family, including her favorite son, who will become one of the greatest artists of France.

Building on the triumphs of The Dovekeepers and The Museum of Extraordinary Things, set in a world of almost unimaginable beauty, The Marriage of Opposites showcases the beloved, bestselling Alice Hoffman at the height of her considerable powers. Once forgotten to history, the marriage of Rachel and Fréderick is a story that is as unforgettable as it is remarkable.

Wanda's Thoughts: 

A fascinating novel! The Marriage of Opposites is based on Rachel Pomie Petit Pizzaro’s life that takes place in St. Thomas beginning in 1807.

Rachel Pomie was a defiant girl, never following the rules and doing what she was told. Rachel was close to her father, Moses Monsanto Pomie who was well thought of, and was well favored in all his endeavors as a prominent merchant. Her mother, Sara Pomie, was a stern and bitter woman with a sharp tongue. Rachel was never able to do anything that pleased her, and few people dared to go against her.

Rachel was married off at a very young age to Isaac Petit, a French Jew, who was 30 years older, with three children. His wife had passed away shortly after their last child was born. Their marriage would be a bridge for the two families, combining businesses and strengths. Her fate was to enter a loveless marriage to a sorrowful man, with three children. Isaac’s sudden death changes her life tremendously. She never loved Isaac; she was only twenty-nine, and too young to be a widow, but she was now responsible for six children.

Frederic, Isaac’s nephew, comes to settle the estate, and run the family business. Rachel was seven years older than he and had been through a lifetime of experiences in those seven years. She’d been a married woman, a widow, and a mother. Frederic seemed to cast a spell on her and she found herself longing for him, but a relationship like this could go no further. It was forbidden within a family. They were related only by marriage, rather than blood, but it could not happen. And the story unfolds as a forbidden love takes place between Rachel and Frederic.

Rachel’s son, Jacobo Camille Pizzarro, is a favorite son and a large and interesting part of the story line. He becomes a well-known artist of the 20th century.

The writing is strong, and the many historical details add a touch of depth. I loved the author’s lyrical style – absolutely beautiful! The story is so vividly told – a unique style of writing, indeed! I've found a new favorite author.  An exceptional read! My rating – 5 stars.

About the Author:  Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952 and grew up on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, from which she received a BA, and then received a Mirrellees Fellowship to the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, which she attended in 1973 and 74, receiving an MA in creative writing. She currently lives in Boston and New York.

Her most recent works include NIGHTBIRD, THE MUSEUM OF EXTRAORDINARY THINGS, and THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES.

Hoffman’s work has been published in more than twenty translations and more than one hundred foreign editions. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People Magazine. She has also worked as a screenwriter and is the author of the original screenplay “Independence Day,” a film starring Kathleen Quinlan and Diane Weist. Her short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, Kenyon Review, Redbook, Architectural Digest, Gourmet, Self, and other magazines. Her teen novel AQUAMARINE was recently made into a film starring Emma Roberts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️THE CHANGING SEASON By Steven Manchester

Publisher:  The Story Plant
Release Date:  February 2016
Pages:  288
Genre:  Young Adult/ Coming of Age
Format:  Hardcover

Book Description: 
This was supposed to be a simple summer for Billy; one more lazy expanse of time before college began. He'd fill the hours playing with Jimmy – his canine best buddy – going camping and doing all the things he promised Jimmy they'd do before Billy left.

But that was before the accident that shook the entire town.

It was before the summer job that turned into something so much more than a way to get a paycheck.

And it was before Vicki.

This summer was destined to be many things to Billy, things he didn't truly understand until now. But it was definitely not going to be simple.

An enormously touching, richly textured, deeply moving novel of new adulthood, THE CHANGING SEASON is an experience to savor.

Wanda's Thoughts: 

Billy, just graduating from high school, was searching for his calling. He was going to college in the fall, but was still undecided about his future. He wanted to serve a purpose that was meaningful. His life was making a big change, moving into a new season, and he was looking for fulfillment.

The Changing Season is a coming of age story about Billy and his loyal dog, his friends, and a first love. I loved the relationship between Billy and his dog – that loyalty and unconditional love. This is a story that will simply warm your heart. And the story unfolds when a tragic accident happens and lives and friendships are affected and futures are changed forever.

Steven Manchester never disappoints with his superb writing, from his descriptive scenes to his character development. The writing is strong, and the pace of the novel moves along with a few surprises along the way. The story is told in the most simple, special, and pure way. A special read, indeed!  My rating is 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:  Steven Manchester is the author of the #1 bestsellers, Twelve Months and The Rockin' Chair. He is also the author of the award-winning novel, Goodnight, Brian, as well as the critically-acclaimed novel, Pressed Pennies, A Christmas Wish (Kindle exclusive), Wilbur Avenue (novella), Just in Time (novella), The Thursday Night Club (novella, released November 2014) and Gooseberry Island (novel, released January 2015). His work has appeared on NBC's Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN's American Morning and BET's Nightly News. Three of Steven's short stories were selected "101 Best" for Chicken Soup for the Soul series. When not spending time with his beautiful wife, Paula, or their four children, this Massachusetts author is promoting his works or writing. Visit: www.StevenManchester.com

⭐️⭐️⭐️ORPHAN NUMBER 8 By Kim van Alkemade

Publisher:  Wm Morrow Paperbacks
Pages:  381
Release Date:  August, 2015

Genre:  Historical Fiction
Format:  Paperback

Book Description: 
In this stunning new historical novel inspired by true events, Kim van Alkemade tells the fascinating story of a woman who must choose between revenge and mercy when she encounters the doctor who subjected her to dangerous medical experiments in a New York City Jewish orphanage years before.

In 1919, Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City’s Lower Eastside. When tragedy strikes, Rachel is separated from her brother Sam and sent to a Jewish orphanage where Dr. Mildred Solomon is conducting medical research. Subjected to X-ray treatments that leave her disfigured, Rachel suffers years of cruel harassment from the other orphans. But when she turns fifteen, she runs away to Colorado hoping to find the brother she lost and discovers a family she never knew she had.

Though Rachel believes she’s shut out her painful childhood memories, years later she is confronted with her dark past when she becomes a nurse at Manhattan’s Old Hebrews Home and her patient is none other than the elderly, cancer-stricken Dr. Solomon. Rachel becomes obsessed with making Dr. Solomon acknowledge, and pay for, her wrongdoing. But each passing hour Rachel spends with the old doctor reveal to Rachel the complexities of her own nature. She realizes that a person’s fate—to be one who inflicts harm or one who heals—is not always set in stone.

Lush in historical detail, rich in atmosphere and based on true events, Orphan #8 is a powerful, affecting novel of the unexpected choices we are compelled to make that can shape our destinies.

Wanda's Thoughts: 
They were just orphans. Institutional children, disposable, and nothing more than a number on a graph. It was like a concentration camp, but the difference was the Infant Home took care of the children. They were fed and clothed, and of course, the orphanage was not a death camp, but they were subjected to experiments for science.

Rachel was one of the orphans who suffered from these experiments, and the # 8 was embroidered on her collar.

The book alternates between two time-frames, Rachel’s life as a child, and 1954 when she is an adult, working as a nurse. She encounters Dr. Solomon, a new patient, and soon recognizes her as the woman who administered the testing on her as a child. Rachel remembers her time at the orphanage when she was subjected to much radiation exposure, and now she is suffering from the side effects.

This was a very informative and heart-wrenching story that pulled me in from the beginning. I never knew about these very haunting experiments performed on orphan children, and all for research. A very disturbing topic!

My big disappointment with the book was the major lesbian theme running throughout the story-line. I feel it should have been a part of the book description to make it known to the readers. Unfortunately it was not. My rating is 3 stars.

About the Author:  Kim van Alkemade was born in New York City and spent her childhood in suburban New Jersey. Her late father, an immigrant from the Netherlands, met her mother, a descendant of Eastern European Jewish immigrants, in the Empire State Building. She attended college in Wisconsin, earning a doctorate in English from UW-Milwaukee. She is a professor at Shippensburg University where she teaches writing, and lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Her creative nonfiction essays have been published in literary journals including Alaska Quarterly Review, So To Speak, and CutBank. Orphan # 8 is her first novel.