The Chisholm Trail Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo (The Daughter of the Mayflower series, book 12))

The Daughters of the Mayflower series explores the line of descendants of those who trail-blazed a new path crossing an ocean on the Mayflower to begin our great American history. The twelfth book in the series, The Chisholm Trial Bride by Kathleen Y'Barbo, just released in April 2020, and adds the story of the great American cattle drives of 1889.

From the Back Cover:
Lives Forever Change One Night on a Cattle Drive

Eliza Gentry's pursuit of marriage to the son of her family's sworn enemy has cost her greatly. Ben Barnhart will never be Wyatt Creed, her best friend from childhood, but Ben has stubbornly wooed her heart.

Furious at his daughter's choices, Eliza's father has her watched, both in New Orleans and Galveston, by the steadfast eye of John Brady, a detective he had hired to see to her safety. With danger at every turn--not the least of which to his heart--can John keep his focus on the present job when a night on the Chisholm Trail nine years ago still haunts his every move?

My Thoughts:
I liked how the story began when Eliza was a young girl of twelve years old and gave the reader a glimpse into her childhood and relationship with Wyatt Creed. It helped to identify with her when the story fast-forwards nine years and Eliza is running into choices of rebellion with a man her family doesn't approve of. There is a bit of a mystery for Eliza as to what happened long ago on that Chisholm Trial drive that cost the life of her best friend. It's a moment that has had lasting affects on her life and her heart. In the current time period, Ben Barnhart, the man she was unofficially engaged to is stubborn and determined. The story keeps you wondering just how bad he really is, and what he is capable of doing. I enjoyed this story and the book kept me reading into the wee hours to see how the story would all wrap up! Kathleen Y'Barbo has written a great adventurous novel to add to The Daughter of the Mayflower collection.

***I received this complimentary book from Barbour Publishing, and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

 Did you know that Andrew Peterson, the singer-songwriter and recording artist of 10 albums, is also the author of The Wingfeather Saga? I'm not sure how I missed this, but I had no idea he had written any books. There are 4 books in the series, and they are being re-released in hardback collectors editions. These new editions have added illustrations that help fuel the imaginative world Peterson has created through his gift of story telling. The first two hardcover books, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! or Be Eaten were just re-released on March 10, 2020, and the third and Fourth books, The Monsters in the Hollows and The Warden and the Wolf King, will be coming September 15, 2020.

From the Back Cover:

Book 1: Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog, Nugget.

Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.

 Book 2: Wild Escapes. A Desperate Journey. And the ghastly Fangs of Dang. 
Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they're really the lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone want to kill them.
In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizard-like Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest, the thieving Stranders of the East Bend, and the dreaded Fork Factory.
But even more dangerous are the jealousy and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart. Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

 My Thoughts: 

This story was so imaginative and fun! I was sad that I only had the first two books to read, and I can't wait to get the other two! Andrew Peterson leads the reader on an adventurous ride through hollows, abandoned ghostly mansions, rockroach invested valleys, and dark forests filled with toothy cows.  The creatures are quite the combination of animals with suitable silly names. At first, it was a little hard to get my head around all the opening paragraphs of background information especially with all of the names of the different lands I was unsure of how to pronounce. Luckily for me, during our stay-at-home order for the Coronavirus, Andrew Peterson himself read the first two books aloud each night on his Facebook page. It definitely helped with hearing him pronounce these names! (I'm not sure if the reading will still be up at the time you read this review. But you can check out his YouTube account by clicking here.) The added illustrations were delightful, and I'm sure the kids reading these books will enjoy them.  The Igiby children are each learning and growing in different ways throughout the story. I appreciated the struggle the characters went through and the lessons that were learned with regard to jealousy, bitterness, secrets and shame.

If your tween is looking for a series that will take them on a fun adventure, then pick up these new hardback books of Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga! I will also say that these books are enjoyable for adults too, so don't be afraid to pick them up for yourself! Make sure to look for the next two books coming out in September 2020!

My Rating: ★★★★★

***I received these complimentary books from Waterbrook publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

For All Who Wander by Robin Dance

Have you ever gone through a season of feeling distant from God, wandering in your own desert feeling a bit lost in life?  In her new book, For All Who Wander, Robin Dance has shared her season of wandering and how God used it in her life to bring her back to Himself.

From the Back Cover:
"Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)

Her circumstances might not have been as dramatic as the father asking Jesus for a miracle, but Robin felt just as desperate in her faith. Yet feeling lost in a spiritual desert, she felt like it was the most honest prayer she could offer. Can you relate to struggling in your faith but longing to believe?
Faith is tidy and neat for some, never unwavering and always so sure. And maybe that's how you used to feel--before the heartbreak or challenges or exhaustion of life set in--but now your once-sure beliefs are less certain, the prescribed Sunday school answers no longer enough.

Inviting you to find hope and healing in your own story within the pages of hers, in For All Who Wander, Robin Dance will help you:

Abandon the guilt and shame attached to your questions or doubts.
Grasp a broader understanding of God's unrelenting faithfulness.
Reframe your view of difficulties and disappointments as you understand their redemptive and transformative value.
Trust that God is working in your wandering to restore and strengthen your faith.

As you walk through Robin's story with her, you'll discover that sometimes wandering is the path that leads you back to God.

My Thoughts:
This book was an interesting read for me. I enjoyed reading Robin's story and like others found part of my story among hers. I've struggled with doubting like many other Christians have at some point in their Christian walk. Robin's story is open and truthful about the struggle she faced, and how God used the struggle to reveal what was truly going on in her heart.  I appreciate that she not only tells her story, but also shares the truth of God's Word to point her readers to Jesus. It was encouraging to know that I'm not the only one, and that even a season of doubting and wandering can be used in God's plan for your life.

My Rating: ★★★★

***I received this complimentary book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.