Elderberry Croft: The Complete Collection

I received a copy of Elderberry Croft: The Complete Collection by Becky Doughty from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Coach House Trailer Park is the last stop down the road of life for most of its residents. But a new girl sweeps into the neighborhood, charming them all with her wild nature, her elderberry gifts, and her outrageous laughter. What brings the mysterious Willow Goodhope of Elderberry Croft to this dead end place? From what—or whom—is she hiding?

ELDERBERRY CROFT: The Complete Collection (all twelve episodes) is the tale of one woman’s journey toward hope and healing, and the people whose lives she transforms along the way.

JANUARY BREEZE: There’s a new girl in town, and she’s breathing life into The Coach House Trailer Park, starting with the tiny cottage she christens Elderberry Croft. Kathy isn’t so sure about this wild child living across the way, with her generosity and exuberance for life. What is Willow Goodhope doing in a place like The Coach House?

FEBRUARY EMBERS: Richard and Patti Davis' days stretch out endlessly before them, but lately, Richard has taken notice of the new neighbor in Space #12. Will Patti lose the only man she’s ever loved to the green-eyed earth girl? Or will Willow steal both their hearts?

MARCH WHISPERS: Joe Sanderson believes that living simply is simply better living. He gardens, he cooks, he entertains Vivian. Everything is going just fine...then along comes Ms. Willow, with her whispering shadows and her elderberry pie, reminding him of what it means to be a man.

APRIL SHADOWS: The Cat Lady rarely sets foot outside her trailer during the light of day. But one morning, Willow shows up at her door, knocking her perfectly-ordered world off its axis. And when the stillness is further interrupted by the Shadowman, Shelly must confront her past in order to embrace her future.

MAY ENCHANTMENT: Managing The Coach House keeps Eddie busy, if not exactly fulfilled. But the new girl, with her red hair and crazy laugh, is stirring up the neighborhood. Willow's making waves, and Eddie's a little swept off his feet, too. When he comes face to face with the Shadowman in the middle of the night, Eddie questions everything he thought he knew about himself.

JUNE MELODY: Myra believes her doctor when he says she’s going to die, but when she encounters a deadly rattlesnake, she realizes that maybe she needs to start living again, rather than spending her last years sitting around waiting to die.

JULY MADNESS: Donny Banks is trouble with a big T. Edith keeps hoping if she helps her baby out one more time, he’ll get his head on straight. But big brother Eddie has had enough. This time, Donny’s knocking on the wrong door—one that belongs to Willow—and Eddie's having none of it.

AUGUST MEMORIES: Al's job keeps him busy during the day, and his Bud keeps him company at night. But Al is a prisoner of his past, and when one phone call changes his future, Al must choose to do the right thing. To his surprise, Willow Goodhope may just hold the key that will set him free.

SEPTEMBER LONGING: Prudence loves animal prints, big hair, and red nails. She also loves her man, Carney, but is beginning to wonder if he feels the same about her. When Willow Goodhope shows up needing a friend, Prudence gets the chance to reevaluate what’s important when it comes to matters of the heart.

OCTOBER MOURNING: The baby growing in Andrea's womb is a miracle, and she marvels at the way she’s changing from the inside out. But when faced with the knowledge that she can no longer manage on her own, will her pride allow her to receive help from Willow?

NOVEMBER AWAKENING: A Vietnam Vet, Doc suffers from severe post-traumatic stress, debilitating episodes that send him back to the bottle time and time again. When he discovers Willow on the verge of giving in to her own despair, he finds unexpected solace in stepping outside his comfort zone to comfort her.

DECEMBER DAWNING: It’s been almost a year since Willow moved into Elderberry Croft, and she can no longer ignore the shadows that drove her here. Is there hope for a new tomorrow?

What a great collection.  Willow is one weird duck but for some reason she fits in nicely at The Coach House Trailer Park.  She comes in with a bang and ends up helping everyone in the park.  Her healing seems to just be a side effect.  Why is it that it's easier to help someone else?

The Jokers Dozen

I received a copy of The Jokers Dozen by Laurie S. Sutton from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Joker transforms dozens of Gotham City citizens into laughing (and robbing) fools! Is the Dark Knight outnumbered, or can he even the odds? Should he use a Batarang or another high-tech weapon? Can the Caped Crusader save the city, or will the Clown Prince have the last laugh? In this interactive story, YOU CHOOSE the path Batman should take. With your help, hell take down The Joker's Dozen!

My daughter picked this book to review.  She's really got into comic books lately and says this one was really neat since you can choose how the story goes.

Maggie's Miracle

I received a copy of Maggie's Miracle by Karen Kingsbury from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Megan Wright spent one unforgettable summer week with a boy when they were both teens. And despite a lifetime of heartache and bad choices, she has never let go of his magical definition of love, even if she has trouble believing in it. After college Megan settled for a relationship of convenience. Now she's a high powered attorney and, after the death of her husband two years ago, has been looking for help with her lonely young son.

Across town, Casey Cummins is still dealing with the tragic loss of his wife. His search for meaning and hope leads him to contact the Manhattan Children's Organization, who connects him with a fatherless child. Life suddenly takes a series of unusual twists, and soon Megan will learn that the teenage boy from all those years ago actually kept his promise, and the miracle she prayed for as a girl is only a breath away.

Another great book by Karen Kingsbury.  I love that she's taken the red gloves from Gideon's Gift and created a series.  I didn't realize it until I finished this book.  Once again you get lost in the story and in the end learn a great lesson about love.

Gideon's Gift

I received a copy of Gideon's Gift by Karen Kingsbury from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One long-ago Christmas, Earl Gibson lost the two things most precious to him: his wife and daughter. Angry and heartbroken, he ended up living on the streets and abandoned any belief he'd once had in God.
Ten years later Big Earl meets Gideon, a seven-year-old leukemia patient who believes with all her heart that "Christmas means never having to ask God how much he loves us." Gideon is determined to reach this lonely and hurting man who hates Christmas--and he is just as determined to rebuff her. It will take a miracle for Earl to come to understand the true meaning of Christmas. But if he can accept what Gideon wants to give him, he might find that he can return the favor with a precious gift of his own.
In GIDEON'S GIFT, Karen Kingsbury reminds us that Christmas is still a time of miraculous possibilities if only we reach out to those around us.

This is such a good book.  Karen Kingsbury has a way of telling a story and teaching you a lesson at the same time.  Gideon has a spirit that can't be broken even when she finds out her leukemia has come back worse that before at Christmas time.  Earl soon finds this out and does what he can to help her and her family have the best Christmas ever.

Between Us Girls

I received a copy of Between Us Girls by Sally John from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Casa de Vida—eleven quaint bungalows located three blocks from the Pacific Ocean in tiny Seaside Village, California. Owner Liv McAlister never advertises vacancies beyond a small hand-lettered sign out front, preferring to trust that God will send the right tenant at just the right time. And He always does.
Meet Jasmyn Albright—she’s had more than her share of bad breaks lately, beginning with the tornado that demolished her farmhouse. Emotionally fragile and feeling utterly alone, Jasmyn heads west, hoping to outrun her heartbreak. And she doesn’t stop until she notices a small sign that reads “Vacancy.” Before she’s quite aware of how it all happened, Jasmyn finds herself the newest tenant at Casa de Vida. She hardly dares to hope that her fortunes might be about to change…but of course when God is at work, anything can happen, and new beginnings are one of His specialties.
Sometimes among strangers, family happens. And sometimes, when we least expect it, romance is a welcome guest.

Boy was this a good book!  Jasmyn has had a tough life and after a tornado destroys the last thing she has left she's told to take a vacation.  When she gets to California she finally feels like she's home.  After her rental car and everything else she owns is stolen she meets Liv, owner of Casa De Vida.  Liv and all the residents of Casa De Vida welcome Jasmyn into their 'family' and temporarily move her into Cottage eleven.  The longer Jasmyn stays at Casa De Vida the more at home she feels.  After her vacation is over she goes back to Valley Oaks to find she's homesick.  Can she make Case De Vida her permanent home?

Take Back the Morning

I received a copy of Take Back the Morning by Evan Howard from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

IS IT REALLY DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN?

OR IS THE DEEPEST DARKNESS FOREVER?

The answer has been kept secret.

Until now.

A corrupt stockbroker on the run…

An economy in turmoil…

And a mysterious pendant sought by the richest woman on Wall Street.

Terrified of going to jail, Justin Connelly faked his death and fled the seductions of Manhattan for the quiet corners of Providence, Rhode Island. His only keepsake was an antique pendant engraved with strange markings.

But then a sailing accident almost kills him for real. In his near-death state, Justin is taken into the darkness of hell itself, where he sees things that drive him out of hiding and back to his abandoned wife in New York.

But Tori has moved on, and his old enemies on Wall Street are not happy to see him. They want the pendant, which, in the wrong hands, could destroy humanity—and Justin’s former boss definitely has the wrong hands.

The only way out is to swallow his pride, and his doubt, and work with Tori and her new fiancé to expose the truth.

As world economies—and his own soul—hang in the balance, Justin must decide whether to sacrifice everything for the light he has found.

I was surprised by this book.  The beginning was a little hard to follow and get a feel for the story line.  Once I got into the book more it really grabbed my attention and didn't let go.  As Tori and Justin find out more about the pendant the more I wondered if what they found could be true.