God Is My Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

 

"If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll be at rest."--Corrie ten Boom

Dutch watchmaker Corrie ten Boom, with her courageous, God-fearing family, sheltered Jews from the Nazis during World War II. This led to her arrest and suffering in prison and concentration camps--told in her bestselling book The Hiding Place (and feature-length film of the same name. Her dramatic life story and her more than 40 other books have prepared millions of readers to face their own futures with courage--relying on God's love to forgive, overcome, heal, and restore.

Now, for admirers of Corrie ten Boom as well as a new generation of readers, this 40-day devotional based on Corrie's writings will strengthen your faith, re-root your soul in Christ, and increase your experience of God's peace. Receive the courage and comfort of the Holy Spirit, and remind yourself of what Corrie ten Boom knew and lived: God is your hiding place.

Publisher: Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Genre: Christian Living/Devotional

My Review

This devotional based on journal entries of Corrie Ten Boom was such a blessing, encouragement, and thought-provoking read each day. Her words, her journey, her faith has challenged me to consider my own faith walk and strive to strengthen my walk with Christ. Each entry begins with a Bible verse followed by a journal entry that relates to the verse. I do wish that the verses used were not from the NLT Bible as it wasn't in existence until 1996, long after Corrie's original writings were published, however, it didn't discourage me from using the devotions. 

Whose Waves These Are by Amanda Dykes

In the wake of WWII, a grieving fisherman submits a poem to a local newspaper asking readers to send rocks in honor of loved ones to create something life-giving but the building halts when tragedy strikes. Decades later, Annie returns to the coastal Maine town where stone ruins spark her curiosity and her search for answers faces a battle against time.

Publisher: Bethany House, 2019

Genre: historical fiction, time slip novel

My Review

First of all, this cover is stunning. The color tones and title were the first to catch my attention. Then, I read the blurb and discovered it was set in Maine, and I was all in. With a unique premise and the time-hopping plot, I was excited to get my hands on this book. 

And it did not disappoint. 

This author’s prose is poetic and graceful and unlike any voice I’ve ever read. She wrote a perfect balance of setting details (so I felt I was really in Maine), character authenticities, and plot pacing. At times I wondered how the two stories would connect and then they did, and it was magical. 

I enjoyed finding little nuggets of similarity between her Maine story and my Cadence of Acadia series, also set in Maine. Like the fact they’re set in a small town in basically the same area, near Machias. The town meetings, the broken heroine who returns to Maine for healing without realizing that’s what she’s really there for, etc. It’s clear we both have a love and passion for the area, and it feels as though I’ve found a kindred spirit in the writing world. 

I have definitely found a new favorite author in Amanda Dykes and will be suggesting this book to others for months to come. I look forward to reading what she brings readers next. 

*I recommend this book to anyone looking for deep, soul-stirring read. For those who don’t like heavy romance, this story is light in those regards. For those who enjoy heavy romance, there’s enough love stories of substance throughout the book to make it completely satisfying. 

Anchor In The Storm by Sarah Sundin

For plucky Lillian Avery, America's entry into World War II means a chance to prove herself as a pharmacist in Boston. The challenges of her new job energize her. But society boy Ensign Archer Vandenberg's attentions only annoy--even if he "is" her brother's best friend. 
During the darkest days of the war, Arch's destroyer hunts German U-boats in vain as the submarines sink dozens of merchant ships along the East Coast. Still shaken by battles at sea, Arch notices his men also struggle with their nerves--and with drowsiness. Could there be a link to the large prescriptions for sedatives Lillian has filled? The two work together to answer that question, but can Arch ever earn Lillian's trust and affection? 
Sarah Sundin brings World War II to life, offering readers an intense experience they won't soon forget.


Publisher: Revell, 2016
Author: Sarah Sundin
Genre: historical romance


My Review
Anchor In The Storm is book two in the Waves of Freedom series. I highly enjoyed Through Waters Deep (see review here) and feel Anchor In The Storm to be the perfect accompaniment.

Lillian Avery defies her odds. She's a female pharmacist, an occupation rarely held by a woman, she refuses to let her prosthetic leg hinder her from living, and she refuses to be duped by any man's false affections. But when her brother brings home his Navy friend Ensign Archer Vandenberg for the holidays, his attraction to Lillian raises the stakes.

Can Lillian conquer her new life in Boston as a pharmacist for her crabby boss, fend off her growing feelings to Arch, and solve the mystery of the forged prescriptions?

With an unexpected twist at the end and a delightful mix of mystery and romance throughout, I give this book 5 stars!

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry

Nazi scientists started many experiments. One never ended.

Roger Greene is a war hero. Raised in an orphanage, the only birthright he knows is the feeling that he was born to fly. Flying against the Axis Powers in World War II is everything he always dreamed--until the day he's shot down and lands in the hands of the enemy. 

When Allied bombs destroy both his prison and the mad genius experimenting on POWs, Roger survives. Within hours, his wounds miraculously heal, thanks to those experiments. The Methuselah Project is a success--but this ace is still not free. Seventy years later, Roger hasn't aged a day, but he has nearly gone insane. This isn't Captain America--just a lousy existence only made passable by a newfound faith. The Bible provides the only reliable anchor for Roger's sanity and his soul. When he finally escapes, there's no angelic promise or personal prophecy of deliverance, just confusion. It's 2015--and the world has become an unrecognizable place. 

Katherine Mueller--crack shot, genius, and real Southern Belle--offers to help him find his way home. Can he convince her of the truth of his crazy story? Can he continue to trust her when he finds out she works for the very organization he's trying to flee? 

Thrown right into pulse-pounding action from the first page, readers will find themselves transported back in time to a believable, full-colored past, and then catapulted into the present once more. The historical back-and-forth adds a constantly moving element of suspense to keep readers on the edge of their seats.




My Review
Unique, intriguing, captivating. This book snatched my attention from the first page and held it to the very end. Reminiscent of the Mel Gibson classic film Forever Young with the heart of Steve McQueen's The Great Escape, this author is the one to watch. 

Roger Greene loves two things: to fly and to serve his country. Those dreams end when his plane gets shot down over enemy territory and he's imprisoned by Nazi scientists experimenting on POWs. Roger quickly learns his part in the Methuselah Project is successful when he becomes the sole survivor of an air raid and his wounds heal within hours. The project's creator dies in the bombing and the scientists that take over must recreate the formula by studying still-imprisoned Roger--for years.

It's now 2015, and Roger has found a way to escape. He seizes the opportunity only to be thrust into a world remarkably different than the one he knew. With the help of new acquaintance Katherine Mueller, Roger attempts to remain incognito while starting a new life. He finally convinces her of his story, only to discover she works for the very organization he's hiding from.

This book had it all for me--action, suspense, romance--but it also spoke to my patriot heart. Roger was the perfect hero with a strong love for his country and his "old-fashioned" values that should still be valued in this modern world. The Methuselah Project was a great reminder of how tough the American spirit is when put to the test.

I gave this book 5 stars!

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By God’s grace, I’m the author of the novels The Methuselah Project, Gunner’s

Run, Kiriath’s Quest, and over 200 articles and fiction stories. In addition to being a writer and World War II buff, my main role is Director of Church Planting ministries at BIEM, a Christian ministry active in Eastern Europe. I hold a degree in foreign languages, speak Russian, and every summer I assist with children’s camps in Eastern Europe. I live near Indianapolis with my wonderful wife Pam. Visit me at facebook.com/AuthorRickBarry, on Twitter (@WriterRickBarry), and at www.rickcbarry.com. 

Through Waters Deep by Sarah Sundin

War is coming.

Can love carry them through the rough waters that lie ahead?

It is 1941 and America teeters on the brink of war. Outgoing naval officer Ensign Jim Avery escorts British convoys across the North Atlantic in a brand-new destroyer, the USS Atwood. Back on shore, Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling does her work quietly and efficiently, happy to be out of the limelight. Yet, despite her reserved nature, she never could back down from a challenge. When evidence of sabotage on the Atwood is found, Jim and Mary must work together to uncover the culprit. A bewildering maze of suspects emerges, and Mary is dismayed to find that even someone close to her is under suspicion. With the increasing pressure, Jim and Mary find that many new challenges--and dangers--await them.


Publisher: Revell, 2015
Author: Sarah Sundin
Cover Photography and Illustration: Brandon Hill

My Review
I was hooked from the first page. With a gripping plot set amidst the enchanting and war-torn era of the 1940's, Through Waters Deep will stick with you long after the first page. 

Boston Navy Yard secretary Mary Stirling reunites with high school acquaintance Ensign Jim Avery during the USS Atwood's sabotaged christening. Together they embark on a journey of clues to find the saboteur. As they narrow down suspects, their friendship blossoms into something more. Will their feelings for one another survive the start of war? Or will they drown in deep waters?

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, romance stories, and/or historical fiction. 

I gave this book 5 stars! This is the first novel of Sarah's I've read, and I'll definitely be reading more!

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Sarah Sundin received the Writer of the Year at the Mount Hermon Christian Christian Writers 

Conference. A graduate of UC San Fransisco School of Pharmacy, she works on-call as a hospital pharmacist. During WWII, her grandfather served as a pharmacist's mate (medic) in the Navy and her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. To learn more, visit her website at www.sarahsundin.com.