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The Harmony Series (audio version)
I don’t listen to audio books very often, but I think I have found a comfortable niche that works for me—Philip Gulley’s Harmony Series. It’s an easy series to come back to when walking my dogs. If my thumb hits the wrong place on my phone and I’m suddenly back a few chapters, it is not a problem. I can just enjoy that portion again. So, when I listen to a book from the series, I will share it here, but only with a brief reflection because the books are like reading short stories or collected anecdotes. The members of the Harmony Friends Meeting show up in all the books, and the setting is always the fictional small town of Harmony, Indiana. The tone of the book is generally light-hearted, containing some sarcasm and some thoughts about the ways people get along with each other. Think of Harmony as a Mayberry come to life with characters that will make you chuckle, and sometimes reach out with empathy.
Just Shy of Harmony
By Philip Gulley
The second book in the Harmony Series is Just Shy of Harmony. It has a lot of humor in its tales. Dale Hinshaw’s new outreach is his “scripture eggs” project inspired by an article about a chicken that supposedly laid an egg that had a message inside because the chicken ate a piece of paper. He’s off to evangelize the world, but he has trouble getting others excited about his idea!
The whole town “knows” about Jessie and Asa’s marital problems because the editor of the local paper writes weekly about what he sees out his window and he saw Jessie going into the building that houses the counselor’s office. You can see where that one is going, but poor Jessie and Asa don’t know why everyone is asking how they are doing.
Framing the humor, however, are two deeper subjects. Sam, the Quaker pastor, is depressed and feels like he has lost his faith. The whole town knows about it; word of mouth is as good as the local newspaper in Harmony. He is experiencing burn-out, for sure, but doesn’t know what to do about it. Avoiding spoiler details, a member of the congregation has leukemia and we see a different side of the Quaker Friends as the church rallies around in prayer and fund raising.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christian, Fiction, Religion, Inspiration
Notes: Read by Norman Dietz who had a lot of different voices to employ and did it well.
Publication: 2002—Harper One
Memorable Lines:
After all, life is so fleeting, so tenuous, that if you can do someone even the smallest good, you ought to do it.
So Into You–too many secrets
So Into You
by Kathleen Fuller
Britt is a talented artist and art teacher in her late twenties who makes a living creating YouTube tutorials for art. She has extreme social anxiety which she has addressed in various ways, but none of the treatments or recommendations have had long-term benefits. Although she supports herself financially, she still lives with her mom Amy, a high school math teacher. Britt’s parents divorced when she was young because her father Daniel had problems with alcohol and anger.
Hunter comes from a wealthy, successful family but got mixed up with alcohol and drugs as a pre-teen. Some tough love from his parents resulted in a stint in jail where he turned his life around with the help of a chaplain who introduced him to Jesus. After his release, Hunter got a job at a warehouse and worked on getting his life in order. He happens onto Britt’s YouTube channel and becomes interested in her tutorials. He also thinks she is very cute. Now he just has to meet her without coming across as a creepy stalker.
All of the major characters have secrets that they resist sharing; and, as might be expected, those secrets cause major problems. Hunter, who used to be a “player,” becomes a sensitive, respectful friend to Britt and wants to help her with her social anxiety issues. Other family members and friends are involved in the story as well. The author connects the characters in a way that the reader can see coming. I held my breath as I watched the relationships develop and anticipated how the secrets would be revealed and what blow-out would result.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Christian
Notes: Discussion Questions included.
Publication: December 3, 2024—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
A year ago when they signed the lease together, he’d made a pact with Sawyer that he would stay clean and sober, and he’d kept it. That was in the past, and it was a road he never wanted to travel again.
Immediately she was hit with a blast of heat, and it was a only May. The next few months would be brutal. Otherwise known as summer in Texas.
“We love each other more deeply now than we ever have. But love isn’t all you need to make a relationship work. You must have communication, patience, and empathy, along with understanding and honesty. Above all, you have to be willing to make it work. If you give up, the relationship is over.
The Silver-Haired Sisterhood–Saving the B&B
The Silver-Haired Sisterhood
By Judy Leigh
As you can tell from the title, this novel is about a group of women in their seventies and eighties. Each has a “story” that is a little different from the others, but they are understanding and supportive of each other. The oldest, Rose, is an excellent pianist. She performs in a drag club in Paris. Tess, one of the main characters is newly divorced from a lowlife philanderer and is faced with needing to find a new home. Pam is comfortable with her life as a single, doting on her dog Elvis. Four years prior, the ladies who call themselves the Hens, had accompanied Jen to Paris before her wedding which she ultimately cancelled. When Della’s husband passes away leaving her in the throes of grief as they had a longtime loving marriage, she decides to temporarily get away from the memories in her home and accompany Tess on a trip to Scotland.
The bed and breakfast the pair sign up for on the Internet is in a state of disrepair and the owner is not ready for them as he is going through his own divorce. The plot proceeds from the ruins of Roddy’s ancestral home, his failed marriage, and an evil wife and her boyfriend. The Silver-Haired Sisterhood is full of interesting characters living on the island of Skye. There are poignant moments and humorous times that make the book stand out as a fun, memorable read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: This novel develops some relationships from friendships into romance. A few of these pairings are not acceptable in more traditional circles, but the physical aspects are implied and always “closed door.”
Publication: December 3, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
“And she’d miss a bad cold more than she’d miss living with Alan.”
Two figures were running towards them over croft land; they were handsome, rugged young men jogging in woollen hats, layers of clothes, tracksuits, padded jackets. As they passed, Tess noticed their icy breath and their determined expressions. She called out, “You can stop running after your dreams—we’re right here,” and burst out laughing. One of the men muttered something: “Right y’are, darlin.’ ”
She had no romantic feelings for him—she knew that now. It had simply been the need to reach out to another person, to feel wanted. But that wasn’t enough for Tess. She realised that she needed to be one half of a magnet, equally tugged and tugging.
A Moment’s Shadow–Danger in Ireland
A Moment’s Shadow
by Anna Lee Huber
Having finished The Cold Light of Day, I was delighted to find that although I had missed getting A Moment’s Shadow as an ARC, my library had copies of this book in various formats. I grabbed the ebook to dive right in. It is even more interesting than the previous book which set the stage for Verity and Sidney Kent’s informal assignments in Ireland. They have several goals. Verity wants to find Alec, her former colleague during the Great War, who seems to have disappeared in Ireland. The pair has also been asked to investigate some missing phosgene cylinders, and they have determined that Verity’s nemesis, Lord Ardmore, who is always two steps ahead of them, is responsible. While they are in Ireland, a jewel thief visits one posh house after another. How he can accomplish these daring heists is baffling, but as Verity and Sidney already move in the social circles of the victims and have a reputation for solving mysteries, they are pulled into the investigation.
As the story progresses, it is difficult to know which side characters are on, and by the end the Kents are not sure which group they identify with. Both sides are committing heinous acts of murder, destruction, and torture. Both sides use deeply embedded spies to accomplish their goals. Verity disguises herself to pass as an Irish worker when needed and then as the socialite she is when that is appropriate to her sleuthing. Other than the social events they attend, nothing is glamorous about their lives in Dublin. Many of the wealthier class have escaped the turmoil by fleeing to their country homes, to England, and even abroad. Verity is “recalled” as some powerful person is unhappy with her inquiries. Since she is not working as a spy anymore, the government doesn’t really have the power or authority to demand her return. The people in charge, however, make it plain that they have been providing her with a measure of safety and can withdraw that protection if she does not return. A Moment’s Shadow has plot action that crescendos at the book’s conclusion with a hook that leaves the reader hanging and ready to devour the next book in the series.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Notes: 1.#8 in the Verity Kent Mystery Series. The author reintroduces characters from #7 and previous books in the series but I think it would be hard to jump in with #8. If you really want to read just the ones dealing with the Irish Revolution, then start with #7 and plan on reading at least two more—#8 and #9.
2. A good plan for reading books #7-9 would be to list the characters and acronyms along with a basic note about each. There are a lot of characters, and you might find it helpful to comment on where you think their alliances lie.
3. The book ends with a teaser chapter from the next book in the series, The Bravest Hour, with a projected publication date of August 25, 2026!
Publication: 2025—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
These sights were always discomforting to me, for instinctively I wanted to cheer on our Tommies, and yet the Crown Forces’ behavior reminded me painfully of the Germans lording over the Belgians when they’d occupied their country during the war.
Everyone was trying to avoid the notice of the Black and Tans, to survive in a place where affordable housing was scarce, sanitation was abominable, and a stray bullet could end your life at any moment.
With all the dry and sunny weather we’d enjoyed in September, it was easy to forget how damp Ireland could be. October elected to remind us of this with a vengeance. It lashed, it bucketed, it showered, it drizzled, it misted—but at all times some sort of precipitation was falling from the sky.
The Teacher of Nomad Land–a child’s survival
The Teacher of Nomad Land: A World War II Story
by Daniel Nayeri
This is the story of two Iranian siblings, thirteen year old Babak and eight year old Sana, orphaned and separated during a time when their neutral country is being invaded by forces competing for Iranian oil—British, Soviet, and German. Add to that mix the Poles, the Jews, and the native nomads who don’t recognize any country as delineated on a map. Their various languages play an important role in this story. Babak has two goals—to become a teacher like his father and to take care of and stay with his sister.
Written for children, this is a fast read for adults. Instead of the horrors of concentration camps, The Teacher of Nomad Land focuses on the lives of the children as they to try to find “family” and dig within themselves to find what it takes to survive. In the Traveler, a friend of their father, they discover a kind man who tries to help. There is also a British soldier they bond with. Their lives are complicated by a mysterious man who is seeking a Jewish boy. All three children are put in danger by this situation. Babak’s resourcefulness is successful in dealing with the Soviets who halt the progress of the nomads in transitioning their herds to their winter home thus demonstrating his value to the nomads.
This is an age appropriate book that does not go into detail about concentration camps and home invasions. On the other hand, it does not shy away from the hunger the children suffer and the danger they face from other people. It highlights the communication problems when there are so many languages; and it shows how, despite being part of an army, individual soldiers can be nice to the local population. While Babak, as the older child, has much of the spotlight in this book, Sana also shines in certain situations with her creativity and ability to step up when things go bad. I was impressed by both characters at their positive attitudes, not allowing themselves to be overpowered by a victim mentality even when cold, hungry, tired or aching from long walks or sleeping on the hard ground.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Middle Grades
Notes: 1. Written for children Ages 8-12. Even though the reading level is for that age group, it may be too advanced in terms of understanding the political, geographical, linguistic, and social backgrounds. Discussion with an adult would be helpful for some children.
2. Included some helpful additions: a map, author’s notes about the political setting and the language barrier, and information on the Persian alphabet.
3. The book ends with “Further Reading” which lists nonfiction books for various ages.
Publication: 2025—Levine Querido
Memorable Lines:
“It might have been fair, but it wasn’t right.”
Everything is all at once. Our lives, these moments that change our lives, they all happen so fast.
Teaching is like sitting with a young person and encouraging them to only listen to the good angels in their mind and not the evil ones. But you can’t force them.
The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know
The Joshua Code: 52 Scripture Verses Every Believer Should Know
by O. S. Hawkins
Have you ever felt like you should have more Bible verses committed to memory than you already have? That thought was the impetus for me to purchase and read this book. The goal is to memorize one verse each week. At first that seemed doable, but as life brought some ups and downs, I found myself unable to remember, over the long haul, all the Scripture references that went with each verse. So, about half way through the book, I switched to using it solely as a devotional and that worked well for me in that season.
My first reaction to The Joshua Code was to question the author’s choice of Scriptures. Many of my “favorites” were not included, and I wasn’t sure I saw the importance of those that were selected. As I stayed with it for a few weeks, I began to understand the process. With each verse there is a devotional, a short homily. As I read each chapter I could see why the verse was important. Since then, I have been surprised at how these verses come up in various contexts and provide an “Ah, ha” moment or a “God wink,” a term used by some for seeming “coincidences.”
According to the author, the title Joshua Code refers to Joshua 1:8 and is a “challenge to keep God’s Word in our mouths through memorization and keep it in our hearts through meditation ‘day and night.’ ” In the Introduction, Hawkins gives his practical method for committing verses to memory. He also explains what meditation is for Christians and how valuable meditation can be when applied to these verses.
I recommend this book for Christians and also for those seeking a relationship with Jesus. This book will show readers how to find Jesus in the Scriptures despite the chaos of daily life and digital content that constantly bombards us.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Nonfiction
Notes: 1. 52 Scriptures and devotionals to encourage memorization
2. A note at the end of the book states that all of the author’s royalties and any other proceeds from the book go to Mission Dignity which “enables thousands of retired ministers (and, in most cases, their widows) who are living below the poverty level, to live out their days with dignity and security.” Small churches are often unable to contribute to a pastor’s retirement, and Hawkins is using his book to financially fill that need.
Publication: 2012—Thomas Nelson
The Cold Light of Day–the Irish Revolution
The Cold Light of Day
By Anna Lee Huber
Told in the first person by Verity Kent, the reader is quickly informed that Verity had served as a spy during The Great War with dangerous assignments in Europe. Her husband also did undercover work, but he emerged as a well recognized hero. Despite needing to recover from their war experiences, including Verity’s belief that her husband Sidney had died, they quickly became a power couple invited to the very best homes in Britain. Money never seems to be a limitation for them.
The plot of The Cold Light of Day is tortuously twisted. Neither Verity nor Sidney knows which characters can be trusted as they work through unofficial assignments in Ireland where the two main branches of Irish rebels (Irish Republican Army and Sinn Féin) are resisting British rule. In talking about Irish resentment, she says “The Irish might be considered British citizens, but always second or third class.” The author researched the conflict well and is able to give the reader both sides of the revolution with Britain promising certain rights and then never fulfilling them. Both sides resorted to violence during this period.
The Kents live a double life in Ireland. They assume their natural role as socialites with their peers. Verity is a talented linguist so she also poses as an Irish house cleaner to be able to go places she can not visit as a glamorous Brit. Meanwhile, Sidney mixes with the males, some of whom were undercover or military during the war. They discuss current and past events after a few pints, and Sidney follows up on some of the things they divulge. They also bond over horse racing and riding.
The couple’s focus is on locating some missing phosgene cylinders so that this poisonous gas can not be used against either population. Also missing is Alec who formerly worked with Verity during her undercover years. In the middle of these searches, while trying to not trigger an enemy from either side, Verity is asked to solve the mystery of a young woman who has committed suicide. Even that effort becomes very complicated. When Verity confronts the British officials, she finds them very condescending; but when Nimble, her husband’s “batman” during the war and now his trusted valet, is brutalized and arrested, she stands up to those powerful men and makes them release him. She occasionally falls back on feminine wiles to manipulate men, using tricks she had to employ during the war.
The Cold Light of Day showed me how little I know about Irish history—especially the more recent Irish Revolution. Huber brings to light what people at that time experienced and how and why their loyalties were sometimes influenced by their humanity and often by their upbringing. The British in charge politically and militarily in Ireland were often motivated by greed, power, and career potential. There were many on both sides of the conflict who were willing to give up their lives for what they saw as the right thing to do.
I have read a few books in this well-written series, and I think it has just gotten better as it progressed. The author is skilled at creating believable characters from all classes—villains, heroes, and everyday workers. A thread that runs through the series is the character, actions, and motivations of Lord Ardmore. Almost everything bad can be traced back to his manipulations behind the scenes. I am not a fashionista, but I do like Huber’s descriptions of Verity’s clothes from the disguises as a “care woman” to her exquisite designs that attract both male and female attentions.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #7 in the Verity Kent Mystery series. I would not recommend it as a stand alone as there is so much critical background about the protagonists in the previous books.
Publication: October 24, 2024—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
But for every upstanding soldier there seemed to be another who took pleasure in the task of bullying and belittling those they were supposed to be protecting, not just policing.
Curse these men who had decided cutting women’s hair was a justified action. And curse the society who colluded in the weaponizing of shearing women’s hair by dint of the fact that somehow its length was an indication of virtue.
But while I’d failed to give chase, I had noted one particular thing about Collins’s bicycle. Its chain rattled like old Marley’s shackles from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. That was something I was certain I would recognize if I heard it again.
Beyond Reasonable Doubt–amazing legal mind
Beyond Reasonable Doubt
by Robert Dugoni
Although many want to classify Beyond Reasonable Doubt as a “legal thriller,” I want to call it a novel that is a cross between a legal mystery and a police procedural. This fascinating book is very suspenseful, but won’t keep you up at night with psychological shudders. Keera Duggan worked as a prosecutor, but was forced to quit. She returned to the family law firm as a defense lawyer at just the right time. The patriarch of the family, Patsy (a.k.a. The Irish Brawler) has taken another in a series of dives into alcoholism just as a big case comes up. Fortunately, Patsy, with an excellent reputation among lawyers, has trained Keera well, first in chess and then in trial law. Unfortunately, this case is representing Jenna Bernstein, Keera’s longtime nemesis, a sociopath, and a liar par excellence.
This case gets very involved as Jenna is not the only one involved who lies. Keera has to dig deeply to get to the truth and then present her client with some hard choices.
Keera is a strong woman who realizes taking this case will help her grow and test herself. She is countered by several professionals from her past. They all respect her and wish she still worked for the state. Keera doesn’t have much time for a personal life, but she is very likable. If you like a book that includes what the characters eat at every meal (ad nauseam), then this is not the book for you. It reads like a complicated mind puzzle because Keera has to not only figure out who killed whom and why, but also how to present the information in the court for the benefit of her client. Just as difficult perhaps is sorting out the jumble of lies and the motivations for them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #2 in the Keera Duggan series, but can be read as a standalone
Publication: October 22, 2024—Thomas & Mercer
Memorable Lines:
“I found that it was defending the difficult cases that I learned the most about myself—who I was as an attorney and as a person.”
For once Jenna wouldn’t be in charge. Keera would run this show. And, maybe, a part of Keera wanted Jenna to know that while her life was once again spiraling down the toilet, Keera’s was succeeding, quite well, thank you. Ego? Sure. Retribution? No doubt.”
“My mother always said about Jenna, ‘Trouble always seems to follow that girl,’ and those of us who were around her suffered for it.”
A Choice Considered–building a railroad
A Choice Considered
by Tracie Peterson
Narrated by Jeanine Bartel
This work of historical fiction, set in the Wyoming Territory in 1868, as the railroad prepares to move further west, has strong Christian themes. The main characters try to make their choices and actions according to Christian principles. The female protagonist is Melody Doyle, a very sweet young lady devoted to her “Da.” Sadly, her father has never been the same since a railroad accident, but he insists he will move on with the railroad when the time comes. Melody doesn’t want to be separated from her dad but is tired of living in a tent and moving constantly. If she stays in Cheyenne, she could get a job and still see her father frequently through short trips.
Charlie is from a banking family, and his father sends him to Cheyenne to supervise the bank that his brother Jacob opened there. Jacob returned east due to illness leaving the bank in the hands of Jefferson who seems to resent Charlie’s arrival, especially when Charlie begins to examine the bank’s books. Charlie has a heart for education and wants to start a school. However, he does not want to disappoint his very strict father who has high banking expectations for him.
Da agrees to Melody’s staying in Cheyenne if she gets married before he leaves. Known for his gift of discernment, her father will interview and let appropriate young men take Melody on a date.
Charlie doesn’t sign up for this process because he wants the woman he marries to be his friend first.
A Choice Considered follows Melody, Charlie, and Da through the decisions they have to make in their lives, from their spiritual growth through their relationships, and in their professional lives. They all have supportive friends who pray with and for them in their journeys. The interactions of the characters are the basis for the plot and there are good events that will make the reader smile, but there is also a backdrop of impending tragedy.
The narrator of this audiobook, Jeanine Bartel, does a good job with all the voices but especially with the men. During the first part of the book, I found her voice for Melody to be a little too saccharine sweet. I think she was trying to show what a sweet person Melody is. As we moved into the story, I got used to the voice and found it more suiting to the character than I had thought.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian
Notes: #2 in the Heart of Cheyenne series. I had read the first and third books in the series. While I enjoyed all three books, I would have been happier reading them in sequence. Out of order, I found myself a little confused; and the third book, of necessity, had some spoilers for the second book.
Publication: July 2, 2024—Bethany House
What Does it Feel Like?–hope in the middle of pain
What Does it Feel Like?
by Sophie Kinsella
This short novel is indeed fiction, but as the author says, “it is my most autobiographical work to date.” This talented author of many very successful books describes her struggle with brain cancer. She talks about her frustrations at not being able to recall words. As a writer, words have always been her bread and butter! Post surgery, memories come and go as her brain tries to heal and her body needs to learn how to perform basic tasks like walking. Through the character Eve, Kinsella gives the reader glimpses into the continuing struggle to maintain hope and the difficulties of sharing her prognosis with her five children.
Particularly touching is her conversation with her husband about a bucket list. He is willing to take her to the ends of the earth to do something she has always wanted to do. After considering many possibilities, she decides what she really wants is not something exciting: “I just need to be around. Have fun with the children. Have fun with you. See friends. Small pleasures.” So, that is what they decide to do—normal plus. Not just enjoy marmalade, but have “posh” marmalade.
Of course, this book is raw and hard, but Kinsella also throws in some of her signature humor that helps break up the distressing severity of cancer. I recommend this generally sad book, but wisely choose your time to read it and relish Kinsella’s talents.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction
Notes: I can think of numerous reasons that I have not published very many book reviews recently, but I think one of them was, in the middle of family grief, I could not bring myself to read this intimate look at stage 4 cancer. That statement is not a spoiler as that is what this book is about, and the experts always say “you should write about what you know.” I was aware of the sadness that lay ahead in the reading.
Publication: October 8, 2024—Random House (Dial Press)
Memorable Lines:
Now she looks around her beloved children’s faces, wondering if they’re OK, hoping that they’re resilient, wondering as she does approximately every five minutes how much longer she has on this earth and feeling—yet again—an overpowering guilt.
The way to get through radiotherapy: pretend you are at a fancy spa….The way to get through chemotherapy side effects: do a five-hundred-meter sprint every day, eat only cabbage, meditate, and write a daily gratitude journal to your creator. I’m joking. The way to get through chemotherapy side effects: go to bed.
“I just…I just need to know you’ll be there when I die. I need to hear your voice. Your voice relaxes me. Plus, you need to tell me what to do and where to go. You know me—I haven’t got any sense of direction. I’ll end up in the wrong place.” Nick roars with laughter, rubbing his eyes.
education pathways 