Hello, reading friends! I hope your summer has been a good one. School starts tomorrow for our nieces and nephews, which is MUCH TOO SOON in my opinion. When I was in school, we didn’t start until after Labor Day. What about you? Regardless of when school starts in your corner of the world, the end of the month means it’s time for my July 2024 in Review post where I look at the books I read and reviewed in that time period.
July was another full reading month with a couple of 5 star reviews and lots of 4.5 stars! The books I read in July represent a mix of genres, including cozy mysteries, romantic suspense, historical fiction/romance and contemporary fiction/romance, as well as some time travel, a short story collection, and a couple of picture books. I also read several debut novels this month! All total, in July 2024 I read twenty-seven books and reviewed twenty-three! These are listed in the order I reviewed them, with snippets of my reviews (in case you missed some), and the ones I haven’t reviewed yet will be at the end.
Looking ahead to August, there are some great books that I’ll get to read next month too. Like,Saved By the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund, Between the Sound and Sea by Amanda Cox, Fugitive Search by Dana Mentink, Redeeming the Rake by Lorri Dudley, Trail of Threats by Jessica R. Patch, Target Acquired by Lynette Eason, A Token of Love by Carrie Turansky, and many more!
UNTIL OUR TIME COMES by Nicole M. Miller // Historical WW2 Romance
Until Our Time Comes by Nicole M. Miller compellingly profiles a little-known piece of World War 2 history and a daring fight over several years to protect hundreds of priceless purebred Arabian horses. The exploration of the heavy toll this took on our protagonists, the horses, and the supporting characters who help them makes this not only a riveting story but a very moving one as well. Moments of well-timed humor as well as a sweet romance allow readers a respite from the high levels of tension and work to advance the story at the same time. Miller’s writing voice is warm and smart and flowed easily from one sentence to the next, drawing me deeper into the plot with every word, and her vibrant characters became my friends. If you love books by authors like Amanda Barratt, Kate Breslin, Sarah Sundin, and Cathy Gohlke, then you’ll want to read Until Our Time Comes too!
A CHOICE CONSIDERED by Tracie Peterson // Historical Western Romance
A Choice Considered by Tracie Peterson is a sweet historical western romance with likable characters you’ll be rooting for from the beginning. The road to happily ever after for Melody and Charlie starts with an almost-instant friendship and mutual respect, and their story will take you through a range of emotions and some layered plot turns. I appreciated the emphasis on a personal relationship with God that affects their daily lives and their decisions, and I appreciated even more that it wasn’t presented in a preachy manner or one that felt forced. If you enjoy western/frontier romance by Lauraine Snelling, Kimberley Woodhouse, and Janette Oke, then you really need to be reading Tracie Peterson too! While characters from the first book do recur in this one, A Choice Considered can easily be read as a standalone, so there’s no reason to delay!
A IS FOR AMISH by Shelley Shepard Gray // Contemporary Amish Romance
It didn’t take getting too far into A is for Amish for me to become completely immersed in the Schrock siblings’ determination to convert to the Amish faith, as well as the complications, emotions, and relationships they encounter in the process. Their grandparents are colorful characters who may be just as conflicted about their grandchildren’s decisions as the siblings themselves are but also pour wisdom, love, and stability into the situation. Martin and Kelsey, the sibling focus of this particular book, are easy to love – and so are their romantic counterparts – and I was invested heart-first in their struggles and triumphs, as well as their love stories. And when I say ‘heart-first’ I mean I giggled, I grinned, I swooned, and I cried, and kudos to author Shelley Shepard Gray for writing such a fresh and unique Amish fiction plot! I look forward to reading the other books in this series and will be waiting most impatiently for them to release!
WHAT WE HIDE by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker // Romantic Legal Suspense
What We Hide by Colleen Coble & Rick Acker is stellar in every way. The seamless writing, the characters, the faith notes (subtle but meaningful), the timing of plot reveals, the twists, the three different narrative perspectives (Savannah, Hez, and a shadowy mastermind), even the cameos by characters from some of the authors’ solo novels/series. All of it comes together to create this ideal blend of mystery, suspense, romance, courtroom drama, and a little psychological thriller too, while also giving us relatable and multidimensional characters we can stay invested in. I cannot wait for book two, especially after the way this book ends. Wow! I’m still processing! This is a dynamic author pairing, and I hope there are many more collaborations to come.
5 stars MEET ME AT THE STARLIGHT by Rachel Hauck // Dual Timeline Romantic Women’s Fiction
See AlsoU.S.-Russia prisoner exchange includes Vadim Krasikov, Russian assassin serving a life sentence in GermanyFormer Walsh, Rollins aide Dan Mulhern to co-chair government affairs practice at Nutter - The Boston GlobeRose Rollins Partner – Repeat ReplayLace up your roller skates, tease your bangs, and Meet Me at the Starlight in this multidimensional novel that will engage all your emotions! Whether we were waiting with Tuesday for her husband to come home or holding our breath to see if the Starlight could be saved, I thought each timeline was so well-layered and poignant and drew me in just as much as the other. The characters are layered with depth and flaws, and every reader will find one they can personally relate to. Fun nostalgia and moments of humor and romance kept me smiling even as I also shed a few tears. If you’re a fan of Hauck’s The Wedding Chapel or her True Blue Royal series, then you’ll definitely want to read Meet Me at the Starlight! Also perfect for fans of Amanda Cox, Amanda Dykes, and Katie Powner.
I AM LA CHIVA! by Karol Hernández // Children’s Picture Book
I Am La Chiva! is a fabulous debut picture book by Karol Hernández, with gorgeously rendered illustrations from Lorena Alvarez Gómez. It engages children’s imaginations and humor (they’re going to love the pig who rides on top of La Chiva) while also teaching them about rural Colombian farming/mercado culture, the Spanish language, and the value of community. Your kids will beg for this one over and over, and you’ll enjoy it too. Also… don’t be surprised to catch yourself randomly reciting, “Me llamo La Chiva. That’s me! Beep, beep, beep!” Or maybe that’s just me…
The Root of the Matter by Lynne Basham Tagawa is an intriguing blend of dystopian/science fiction, time travel, and historical fiction with a dash of romance, poignant faith threads and complex layers. Real life figures from the earliest settlements in America intersect with the author’s imagination, and watching Gen & Peter navigate 1630s New England as time travelers kept me engaged just as much as watching them start to fall in love. Tagawa thought of details that I wouldn’t have and incorporated them creatively into the plot, including how to let Gen indulge in her chocolate cravings. I was fascinated by each element that came together to make this a uniquely compelling story, and I am already imagining what will happen in book two!
Murder. Theft. Intrigue. Disguises. Forbidden Romance. Throw in clever nods to Cinderella, witty banter, a delightful hero/heroine match, and a Regency house party …. what more reason do you need to read The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and thought the author did a great job of weaving several threads together into an entertaining tapestry that charmed me from the start. Theresia is an admirable heroine, as courageous and smart as she is beautiful and witty, and Rolland makes for a very dashing hero who becomes even swoonier the more besotted he becomes. The side characters were just as layered, and even when you begin to think you know how it will all play out… don’t get too relaxed. Oh – and don’t worry if the clock chimes midnight while you’re reading The Lady Glass, the fairy tale magic of this story won’t vanish so easily!
Help Wanted: One Rooster treats children to a fun barnyard story with dry humor and special touches that adults will love too. It’s the kind of book that, as you spend time leafing through it, you’ll find new things to smile about, giggle at, and appreciate. I also appreciated the heartwarming message of recognizing our own strengths and weaknesses and working together with people who can do what we can’t (and vice versa). Because of the advanced vocabulary (which I think is so important for growing little minds), this would probably be best as a read-aloud together – at least the first dozen or so times – rather than leaving an early reader to tackle it on his/her own. The combination of Julie Falatko’s witty and smart text and Andrea Stegmaier’s clever and colorful illustrations is a delightful one and would make a great addition to any home or school library.
On the Wings of the Morning by Valerie Banfield is a layered novel that follows Daisy Blake as she navigates university during a tumultuous time in her family’s life while also daring to pursue a male-dominated career path despite society’s naysayers. Her encounters with the inimitable Amelia Earhart (humanized so nicely by Banfield) add compelling dimensions to Daisy’s story that will take you through a range of emotions and make you grin, laugh, and cry before all is said and done. Grandpa Harvey’s character is winsome and lovable and I could easily spend more time in his fictional presence – he’s the kind of person who just makes you feel at home, even just in ‘meeting’ him on the pages. My only quibble is that the dialogue strayed into narrative more frequently than I prefer which slowed the story down for me in several places. Still, this is a sweet and heartfelt novel of life, loss, and love – lots of love – that will ultimately keep you engaged and invested in rooting for the characters.
In the current state of things in our world today, if a little laughter is a refreshing embrace for the soul, then Jen Turano’s Meeting Her Match is a refreshing bear hug for it. I giggled from beginning to end, as is my habit when reading a book by this author, and while I always love the supporting characters Turano employs to exacerbate the hilarity that the main characters experience, this combination of personalities is my favorite yet. Amid attempted abductions, ‘whitewarshing’ fences, etiquette lessons, angry raccoons and renegade pigs and ornery roosters, Camilla and Owen are a match made in ‘almost heaven’. Another fantastic and funny Gilded Age romantic farce from Jen Turano!
Into the Starlight by Amanda Cabot beautifully explores the dreams we have for our lives, the acute disappointment we experience when those dreams die, and the joy that comes from surrendering those dreams to the perfect ones God has for us. Joanna and Burke are such wonderful characters, and their relationship (first as friends and then as a romance) is grace-filled and edifying, not just for them but for readers also. But that’s not all I loved about this book, nor was wanting to meet Joanna all I’d been looking forward to. Because out of all the secrets that the otherwise-charming town of Sweetwater Crossing has been keeping, the mystery of what happened to Clive Finley is chief among them. I’ve had my suspicions from the beginning but I wasn’t expecting all the twists that the truth took before coming to light – or the surprises that the author had up her sleeve! If we must say goodbye to Sweetwater Crossing for now, Into the Starlight is the perfect sendoff with its wonderful characters, heartwarming romance & unexpected turns!
Cold Vengeance by Nancy Mehl – and really the whole Ryland & St. Clair series – has something for nearly every reader. Strong faith thread? Check. Disturbed serial killer(s)? Check. Sweet romance? Check. Family drama? Compelling crimes to solve? Edge-of-your-seat danger? Check. Check. Check. I’ve loved every story with River and Tony, but this third one is hands-down my favorite. Mehl’s strong plotting skills and engaging writing voice kept me glued to the pages, and the meaningful (and practical) faith journeys she takes her characters on touched my heart. Granted, the faith thread gets a bit sermon-y in a couple of places but it tracks with the characters’ development across the series so I didn’t mind the story-pausing so much in this case. If you are looking for wonderful characters and a tightly-written suspense novel that also points you to Jesus, make sure you read Cold Vengeance as soon as possible! (And while you can read it as a standalone, I think your reading experience will be that much better if you start with book one first)
When the Mountains Wept by Kendy Pearson is the kind of book that will make you fall in love with its characters and point you to the way of Jesus with gentle – but clear- sincerity. It also takes you through the emotional wringer, causing you to mourn not only deep losses but the heartwrenching destruction of wickedness and hatred, too. Even as I grieved over the history (may I never not be anguished by it), I also found that the setting Pearson chose added intriguing and thought-provoking layers to that history. With folks in the area divided between Union and Confederate sympathizers, it really brought home the fact that this was a war fought against neighbors, friends, and even family, not an unknown enemy. When the Mountains Wept is a powerful, touching, and grace-filled story perfect for fans of Jocelyn Green’s Widow of Gettysburg or Lynn Austin’s Refiner’s Fire series.
Once again, Valerie Burns treats us to a fun and engaging mystery-solving adventure with the completely endearing (and formidable) team of Maddy and Baby and the Baker Street Irregulars. Her writing voice is perfect for this style of cozy – and for Maddy & Baby’s characters in general – and the various plot threads that make up A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death were the most delightfully twisty of the series, I think. The mysteries in this book were tightly-layered and held my interest all the way through, too. I could easily spend several more books with these characters and in this world, and even though the author brought some ongoing elements of the series to a conclusion in A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death, I hope there are at least several more books to come.
Queen of Hearts by Heather Day Gilbert is twisty and suspenseful with dynamic characters and affectionate nods to Hitchco*ck, Higgins Clark, and King. Fans of this genre, like me, will appreciate the unexpected turns and unreliable characters that the author weaves in with others that are exactly as they seem, leaving readers to question their own instincts – and delight in doing so – before all is said and done. With all the mystery/suspense/thrillers that I read and watch, it’s difficult to catch me completely off guard, without even the slightest inkling of what’s going to happen. But kudos to Gilbert who managed to do so more than once.
Pointe, Shoots and Scores by Carolyn Miller gives readers the beautiful romance of a waltz, the fiery (but chaste) passion of a tango, the high intensity drama of a hockey game, and faith-driven characters to cheer on toward a win. Whether that hope for a win is for a mirror ball trophy, a hockey goal, a romance, a personal triumph or spiritual growth, Luc and Bailey’s story makes sure that readers are the real winners. These two characters will charm you into falling in love with them even as they fall in love with each other, and if you don’t have a huge smile on your face by the time you close the book there’s something wrong with your heart!! I always love my time with the characters in Miller’s hockey universe, and I look forward to the next book, too!
Love By Pony Express by Kelly F. Barr captures an intriguing time in ‘Old West’ history, giving readers a well-researched glimpse into the adventure of being a rider for this groundbreaking mail service. Johnny Reason and Maggie Carter are easy characters to like, and you will smile as their romance grows from a sweet courtship to gentle passion over the course of the book. I do admit to feeling disconnected from the story overall, I suspect because some scenes didn’t really advance the plot and therefore the pace meanders a bit. But I was engaged enough that I want to see where Barr takes the series and, in particular, if a certain saloon waitress gets her own story. Kelly Barr is an author to watch for sure, and I think fans of Tracie Peterson and Lauraine Snelling will enjoy this book too!
A Matter of Honor by Laura Frantz is a tender story of faith that enriches, hope that encourages, and love that endures, as well as a refreshing visit with dear fictional friends. Frantz’s impeccable sense of time and place transports you to the Scottish Lowlands during the 1700s, be it in a charming cottage, the expansive merse, a local village, or a grand castle, with just the right amount of dialect utilized to help you ‘hear’ the setting too. Readers will love Orin and Maryn, even if they haven’t yet read The Rose and The Thistle, though I do encourage you to read that one too because it’s one of my recent fave books by this author! Though this is a novella (albeit a longer one), the characters are skillfully fleshed out, the plot deeply developed, and the love story blissfully timeless. A redemptive and beautiful read!
Love Remains by Terry Tamashiro Harris is a beautiful story, warmly written, with compelling characters and emotional layers. I was drawn into the narrative from the very first paragraph. The faith messages are strong but wrapped in grace and fit naturally into the flow of the story (with a couple of pacing exceptions), and I particularly enjoyed the conversational and Scripture-focused approach to prayer. The diverse residents of Mercy House stole my heart from that first encounter at the gate intercom and on every page thereafter. The full circle ending… the whole story, really … touched my heart, and it’s not one I’ll be forgetting any time soon. I would love a return to Mercy House on the pages of fiction – and in the meantime, I’m looking into how I can help the real Mercy House with its much-needed ministry.
Captured in Frame by Laura Thomas is exactly what I want in a romantic suspense novel. The layered, well-drawn characters grabbed my attention, the cozy setting (which can easily translate to spooky, given the right circ*mstances) beckoned me to sit and stay awhile, and the skillfully-plotted suspense elements kept me riveted to the pages. When you add in a sweet & spark-filled romance between two wounded hearts, a couple of stinkin’ adorable children, and natural expressions of faith that flow with the story instead of interrupting it, I’m on a readerly cloud nine! I am fully invested in this series now, and I can’t wait to see what comes next. In the meantime, I’ll be tracking down the author’s backlist!
Seasons of the Past by Carole Lehr Johnson is a charming collection of short stories that whets your appetite for more of the author’s work. I appreciated the relaxing escape each story provided, as well as the mix of time periods, settings, and genres. There’s a little something for everyone – historical, contemporary, time travel. The stories that involved an element of time travel most appealed to me, because that’s always a favorite of mine, but I enjoyed all the others too. Lovely stories, compelling characters, and entertaining plots.
Murder at Mistlethwaite Manor by AJ Skelly combines an entertaining mix of characters, an atmospheric setting, and a twisty mystery with secrets and suspects around every corner. Emma Grace is a likeable narrator whose first person point of view allows us to feel as though we are skulking through the manor close on her heels, one hand on her shoulder for moral support. The whole mood of the novel is wonderfully gothic, and I loved trying to figure out whodunit (even though I was mostly wrong until just the last minute lol). The romance subplot had just the right amount of tension and spark without detracting from the mystery. Put on your deerstalker hat, grab your invitation, and get ready to follow the clues in this quick-but-engaging read!
july 2024 reads that I haven’t reviewed yet
What about you? What were some great books you read in July 2024? Which of my July 2024 in Review titles have you read?
